Suspended contracts and doubtful cricketers

Rescue 1122 Director General removed from the chairmanship of the Fire Safety Commission.

The Lahore High Court on Thursday suspended a contract between the Punjab government and the Lahore Parking Company (LPC) for seven days and ordered the local government secretary to inquire into the matter.

Justice Khalid Mahmood Khan had passed the order on a petition filed by a contractor.

The petitioner had submitted that the LPC could not be granted the contract for administering parking lots.

He said under law the company was responsible for regulating the parking-related affairs and supervising the process of award of contracts.

He said instead the government had awarded the contract to the company for an unlimited period. The petitioner said the contract should be awarded to the highest bidder through an auction.

On Friday, the LPC spokesman issued a clarification and said the high court had not stopped the parking company from continuing its operations. Instead, he said, the court had ordered that award of contracts be stopped until a decision by the local government secretary was made.

Fire commission

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court on Friday removed Rescue 1122 Director General Rizwan Naseer from the chairmanship of the Fire Safety Commission. The 20-member commission was formed by the LHC on March 20 to address and identify fire safety issues in the provincial metropolis, with special emphasis on industrial sites and high-rise buildings. Naseer’s removal followed poor performance of Punjab Emergency Service in the LDA Plaza fire. The ‘outdated’ Fire Brigade is already being neglected by the government.

The judge adjourned further hearing till July 11 and directed the government officials concerned to present the report of the government’s inquiry into the LDA Plaza fire. The judge is hearing a petition for fixing responsibility, bringing those responsible for the LDA Plaza fire to justice and making adequate arrangements to avoid such incidents in the future.

Cricketer Asif

This week it may become clear whether former Pakistan cricketer Muhammad Asif was actually robbed by the owner of a restaurant in Defence. The matter was brought before the court by Sohaib Dogar, the person Asif has accused of leading the robbers.

On a petition filed by Dogar, the court had directed the police on Thursday to submit its report. Dogar had filed the petition for quashment of the FIR lodged by Asif accusing him of snatching his wallet which contained Rs92,000 and bank cards, a Rs1 million wrist watch as well as his passport, and some other documents.

Price hike during Ramazan

Last week, a petition was filed before the LHC against price hike in Ramazan. The court on Friday sought a comprehensive report from the Punjab government about steps taken to control massive hoarding, black-marketing and profiteering by traders during Ramazan and government’s failure to control prices of essential commodities. The court adjourned the hearing till July 9.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 8^th, 2013.