Teachers fined for concealing facts from the court

LAHORE:

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court last week imposed a fine of Rs1,000 on 10 former Aitchison College teachers and directed them to deposit it with the college within 14 days.

The teachers had filed a petition against the college administration for illegally terminating their services. They said without issuing any notice the principal had told them that their services were not required.

Counsel for the college, Advocate Ali Sibtain Fazli and Advocate Hasham Ahmed Khan, told the court that the petitioners had concealed facts from the court.



They said six of the petitioners’ contracts had expired. They said six of the petitioners’ contracts had expired and had not been renewed by the college administration. They said the rest had accepted their termination letters and the final settlement with the administration.

They added that the college administration had the right to refuse to renew the contract.

The court dismissed the petition and imposed a fine on the petitioners.

Lady Willingdon

The LHC last week directed the government not to demolish any portion of Lady Willingdon Hospital, which was supposed to make way for a flyover at Azadi Chowk.

The court also issued notices to the concerned authorities for February 6.

Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry issued the order on a petition by Young Doctors’ Association.

The petitioner’s counsel said the proposed demolition was in violation of Article 14, 10-A, 9, 24, 23, 19-A, 16, 15 and 25-A of the Constitution. He said a USAID team had expressed interest in upgrading the hospital built 83 years ago on 120 kanals, but the government had ignored it.

He said the government had not obtained a No Objection Certificate from the Environment Protection Department (EPD).

He said the demolition plan violated provisions of the Walled City Act 2012, Antiquities Act 1975, and the Punjab Special Premises Preservations 1985.

He also said roads leading to the hospital had been closed and that this was inconveniencing hundreds of people.

Army privileges

The LHC last week dismissed a petition of a retired subedar seeking post retirement benefits admissible to a commissioned officer.

The petitioner, Ali Ahmad, said army officers got substantial huge benefits on retirement including residential plots, which junior officers did not granted. The court directed the petitioner to approach the Ministry of Defence.

The LHC also issued fresh notices to the federal government regarding a petition by former chief of army staff Gen (retired) Ziaud-Din seeking that his removal from the position of COAS be declared illegal.  He also sought retirement benefits and his confiscated property.

LDA powers

The LHC suspended two notifications by Punjab government extending the Lahore Development Authority’s jurisdiction to Sheikhupura, Kasur and Nankana Sahib districts, and eliminating the role of the town municipal administration in approval of housing schemes.

Faith trial

A LHC bench granted bail to a 70 year old Ahmadi doctor arrested for allegedly pretending to be a Muslim and preaching his faith. He had been in jail since November 25, 2013. Earlier a lower court had dismissed his request for bail petition.

Counsel for Dr Masood Ahmed said a group in Lahore was filing false cases against Ahmadis. He said the complainant was a member of that group. He requested the court to grant Dr Ahmed bail, as he was an elderly man who deserved the relief of bail. The counsel for the complainant Maulana Muhammad Ahsan said Ahmed had been seen reciting the holy Quran and preaching his faith, which according to Section 298-C of the Pakistan Penal Code he could not do.

Lawyers’ strikes

Representatives of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Punjab Bar Council and Lahore Bar Association undertook not to call lawyers’ strike during court hours.

Two days later, lawyers in Lahore went on strike. A hearing is scheduled on Monday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2014.