Busy week: 62 house officers ‘saved’ by the LHC

LHC dealt with unfair termination petitions and govt security concerns.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court ‘rescued’ 62 house officers last week from imminent dismissal before completion of their one-year contract.

On August 29, the LHC issued a stay order against the dismissal of the doctors.

The judge also directed the health secretary and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to submit a reply by September 4.

Bold decision

On August 30, a three-member review board of the LHC decided to extend the detention of Zubair alias Nek Muhammad, for one month.

Zubair is accused of involvement in the Sri Lankan Cricket Team attack in 2009. Investigators said a local unit of the Taliban had attacked the team.

Six Sri Lankan players, including captain Mahela Jayawaredene, his deputy Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana and Chaminda Vaas had sustained injuries and six escorting policemen were killed in the attack.

Earlier, a court had granted him bail for lack of evidence against him.

However, the Home Department was wary of Zubair’s release. Counsel for the government told the review board that an appeal against the approval of his bail was pending before the LHC. He said the government had security concerns over his release.

Zubair had been in detention under Section 3 of Punjab Maintenance of Public Order for three months after he was granted bail by an anti-terrorism court.

Gwadar

Last week a petition was filed before the Supreme Court against an alleged agreement between Pakistan and China for hand over of Gwadar.

Barrister Zafarullah Khan filed the petition following a statement by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on August 23, which said that Gwadar had great potential like Dubai and Singapore and could be given a special status like Hong Kong to attract foreign investment. The petitioner asked the court to issue a restraining order to the government against granting a Hong Kong-like status to Gwadar port.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2013.