LHC adjourns hearing on regularising PES DG

LAHORE:

Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Ayesha A Malik has adjourned proceedings of a case seeking directions to regularize Dr Riwan Naseer as the Director General (DG) of Punjab Emergency Services (PES) and questioned the petitioner for persistently trying to secure his post despite opposition from the government.

“The interior ministry and the government of Punjab do not want you to continue this job,” the judge remarked.

Previously, the court had reserved decision on another plea challenging the extension of the petitioner’s contract as DG.

The post of Emergency Services Academy DG was created in 2015 while the appointment notification presented by Dr Naseer dated back to 2006, the Interior deputy secretary general told the court.

Moreover, he contended that as per the Punjab Emergency Services Act 2006, the seat of PES DG is contractual, therefore, the government cannot regularise the petitioner. “The appointments on the seats of DG Rescue and DG Emergency Services Academy cannot be made according to the wishes of individuals,” the deputy secretary general contented.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2020.