FAISALABAD, Nov 3: The Education department has been lamented for not implementing the apex court’s decision asking the government to regularize the services of ad hoc lecturers within 30 days.

This was stated by Punjab Ad hoc Lecturers Association’s vice-president Syed Azharul Hasan Naqvi in a statement here on Sunday.

He said the Supreme Court had directed in its judgment on Sept 25 that ad hoc lecturers who were terminated on Aug 5, 2000, should be given an opportunity to prove their eligibility for regularization of their services.

The Education department, he said, was still playing the role of a silent spectator and had not acted upon the judgment which was tantamount to committing contempt of court. The delaying tactics had also put thousands of lecturers on the verge of starvation, he said.

He pointed out that the hierarchy of the Education department in its traditional red-tapism style was trying to bypass the Supreme Court verdict.

It was interpreting that the fate of ad hoc lecturers for regularization would be put before the Punjab Public Service Commission by accomplishing the laid down requirements, advertisements, interviews and PPSC recommendations, he said.

He claimed that such type of queries and wrong interpretation were nothing but to delay the fate of ad hoc lecturers who had already been running from pillar to post to feed their families.

Mr Naqvi urged the Punjab governor to direct the Education department for the regularization of the services of ad hoc lecturers in the light of Supreme Court judgment.

ENCOUNTER: A villager sustained serious bullet wounds on Saturday night during an encounter with cattle-lifters in Chak 357-GB.

Unknown cattle-lifters were taking away cattle when a group of villagers intercepted them. The gangsters fearing their arrest opened fire on them as a result of which Muhammad Saleem suffered serious injuries. Later, the bandits escaped from the scene by taking the advantage of darkness.

Police have registered a case and are investigating.