Lahore High Court: Official again issued contempt notice

Punjab Energy Secretary had commented that the courts were guilty of “excessive interference in executive functions”.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Thursday again issued a contempt notice to former Punjab Energy Secretary Rab Nawaz for “ridiculing and humiliating the judiciary” by opining that the courts were guilty of “excessive interference in executive functions”.

Additional Advocate General Chaudhry Iqbal told the court that Nawaz had not turned up for Thursday’s hearing. He said that the officer had been repatriated to the federal government.

Justice Muhammad Khalid Mahmood Khan issued a notice to Nawaz directing him to appear on October 31 and face contempt proceedings.

Nawaz’s remarks about the judiciary came to light as the court was hearing a petition moved by Umer Hayat, head clerk at the Khanewal EDO’s office, against his removal from service.

Nawaz had conducted an inquiry into charges of financial irregularity against Hayat and other officials. In his inquiry report, forwarded to the chief minister, he wrote that the government’s executive authority and effectiveness had been undermined “due to the courts’ excessive interference in executive functions”.

“The judiciary is interfering in executive matters every day in hundreds of cases in other departments. It’s time that the Punjab government take up this issue with … the judiciary and service tribunal to set fresh limits of the respective spheres.”

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2012.