Health: Contempt of court petition against health secretary dropped

Health secretary regularises petitioners’ services.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court chief justice disposed of a contempt of court petition against the health secretary upon being informed that the court order to regularise 69 pharmacists had been fulfilled.

The group of pharmacists had filed a contempt of court petition, claiming that they were appointed after passing the qualifying Punjab Public Service Commission examination. They said a single bench of the Lahore High Court had directed the government to regularise them, but the health department had challenged the order through an appeal.

A division bench had dismissed the appeal, but the department had still not implemented the single bench’s order to regularise the pharmacists. The petitioners requested that the court initiate contempt proceedings against the health secretary for not complying with the court. The court had summoned the health secretary to the last hearing.

However, on Monday, the health department informed the court that the pharmacists had been regularised and there was no need to proceed with the petition. Upon learning this, the court disposed of the petition.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2013.