‘Decide prisons chief’s case quickly’

‘Warraich was a BS-19 officer appointed to a BS-21 post’.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has asked the chief secretary to decide the controversy over the appointment of the Inspector General (IG) of prisons within the stipulated time otherwise the court would decide the matter according to the law.

Justice Umar Ata Bandial issued the order after reviewing the written reply of the chief secretary which said that he had formed a three-member committee which would give its recommendations to the chief minister within two weeks. The reply further read that the chief minister would decide the matter on the committee’s recommendation. The judge adjourned the hearing till January 12 on a petition against the appointment of the IG Kokab Nadeem Warraich. The chief secretary filed his reply in compliance with court orders.

Petitioner Mian Farooq took the plea that the appointment of the respondent, who was three years junior to him, as IGP was not sustainable being contrary to Rules 10 (A) and 10 (B) of Punjab Civil Servants (appointment and conditions of services) Rules 1974.

He said the IG was a BS-19 officer but the government chose to appoint him to a BS-21 post in violation of the rules. He claimed that Warraich had not qualified for the mandatory national management course.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2011.