PTI moves LHC to stop postings of 22 officers

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday approached the Lahore High Court (LHC) seeking directions to quarters concerned to restrain postings of 22 officers in Punjab until the forthcoming general elections in the province are held and formation of the government is completed.

The petition was filed by PTI senior leader Fawad Chaudhry who made respondents the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) through its secretary, the federation of Pakistan through its secretary establishment division, the province of Punjab through its chief secretary, the government of Punjab through secretary to government and Inspector General Police (IGP) Punjab.

Fawad in his petition contended the court that the petitioner’s political party is inter-alia aggrieved of the failure of the ECP and other respondents to ensure redressal of grievance raised by the present petitioner through its application wherein the ECP, on January 25, was addressed expressing serious concerns about 22 senior government officers (11 PAS/PMS Officers and 11 officers of the Police Service) and also requested that such officers should not be given postings in the province, during the forthcoming elections for the provincial assembly.

He told the court the brief facts leading to filing this petition contending that on January 12, 2022, the then chief minister Punjab, in the exercise of his powers under Article 112 of the Constitution, advised the governor of Punjab to dissolve the provincial assembly and ultimately, the Punjab Assembly stood dissolved on January 14, where after, the caretaker chief minister Punjab was appointed who assumed office on January 22, 2022.

As the elections were due to be held within a period of 90 days from the dissolution of the assembly, therefore, the present petitioner promptly expressed its serious concerns before the ECP about the twenty-two senior government officers and also requested that such officers should not be given postings in the province during the election period.

However, the ECP miserably failed to act in accordance with law and the Constitution and granted a free hand to the controversial caretaker government to issue blanket orders of transfer and postings throughout the province, the petition stated.

“Therefore, soon after the assumption of office by the caretaker government, the political opponents of the last political government, started exerting their political influence to procure large scale postings and transfer orders to get posted their favourites on important posts, especially on the posts which could materially affect the conduct of fair and free elections” the petition furthered.

The petitioner added that not only most of the said officers were given postings against the most important posts in Punjab, which could be used to materially affect the forthcoming elections, but even the ECP approved all such transfers and postings of the controversial officers, despite the present petitioner’s specific objections raised against the said officers.

The petitioner also requested the court to pass directions to all the respondents, to ensure that such government officers, against whom any political party expresses its reservations regarding any likelihood of materially affecting the forthcoming elections, should not be posted in Punjab and be forthwith removed from his post and substituted with some other honest and impartial officer of good repute until the elections are held and the process of formation of government is completed, the petition concluded.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2023.