The Lahore High Court on Tuesday summoned the inspector general of Punjab police (IGP) for Wednesday (today), threatening to indict him with contempt of court.
Chief Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed passed the order while hearing a petition filed by DSP Saleem Sadiq and others, seeking promotion to the rank of SP.
The chief justice gave the remarks after being informed that the Punjab government had not yet promoted the petitioners despite court’s orders. IGP Habibullah Warraich had on April 24 given an undertaking in court that the orders will be complied with. The court had been told on May 2 that a promotion board had been called to decide about the candidates’ cases.
During the Tuesday hearing, a provincial law officer sought time to file a reply. The request irked the chief justice, who remarked, “It seems that the government thinks the judges attend courts to kill their time and lawyers come for a picnic.” He said that every judge had complained about the Punjab government wasting court’s time.
The government does not seem interested in complying with court orders until contempt proceedings are initiated against it, he said.
Justice Saeed then remarked that the IGP would “definitely implement” the court’s orders after being charged with contempt.
“The barrack where Raymond Davis was held at the Kot Lakhpat Jail is currently unoccupied,” said the chief justice, “Why don’t we lock the IGP there?”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 9th, 2012.
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