No non-Muslim to teach Islamic studies
Commission directed to recruit new lecturers
LAHORE:
Lahore High Court (LHC) issued a direction to the Punjab Public Service Commission last week regarding recruitment of lecturers for Islamic studies.
Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh of the LHC directed the commission on Wednesday to ensure that non-Muslims were not allowed to teach Islamic studies. He was hearing a petition filed against a notification allegedly calling 17 non-Muslims for interviews leading to recruitment. The judge directed the commission’s counsel to produce their National Database and Registration Authority records to determine their religion.
Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, the petitioner’s counsel, told the court that the commission was trying to obscure the truth by claiming that the candidates were Muslims. Maulana Azizur Rehman had filed the petition in 2012 to have the recruitment of non-Muslims to the post stayed. He also sought to have the notification for interviews declared void.
Death sentence converted to life imprisonment:
A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday converted the death penalty awarded to two men for attempting to assassinate Maulana Azam Tariq.
Ghulam Raza Naqvi and Zaheer Ahmad, the appellants, told the court that a trial court had sentenced them to death without taking important facts into account. The court set aside the verdict and converted it to life imprisonment.
Reply sought from government
LHC sought a reply from the federal government regarding a petition challenging Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s appointment as chairperson of Prime Minister’s Youth Loan Programme.
The court asked the government to inform it about the legal status of the programme and the criteria regulating its chairperson’s appointment. Zubair Niazi, a PTI leader, had filed the petition to challenge the appointment. Judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah said the government would have to explain how public money was being used.
Charges to be framed against TV host, others on Nov 7
A five-member bench of the LHC has fixed November 7 as the date for framing charges against ARY News Chief Executive Officer Salman Iqbal, Mubashir Lucman, an anchor and the producer of Khara Such, a television programme for contempt of court. They are accused of denigrating the judiciary. Judge Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi directed them to appear before the court on the next hearing.
Aitchison College’s board of governors
LHC sought a reply from the government regarding a petition challenging appointments to Aitchison College’s board of governors and a change in its admissions policy for grade K-II.
Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah gave the direction while hearing a petition filed by Sarah Khan and Fasihuddin. The petitioners’ counsel said 19 people had been appointed to the board. He said they had also changed the admissions policy to grade K-II. He said this was illegal.
AGP’s assistance sought:
A bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought the assistance of the attorney-general of Pakistan (AGP) to decide the maintainability of a petition seeking the registration of a treason case against Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan for compromising public order. Judge Khalid Mehmood Khan asked AK Dogar, the petitioner’s counsel, to argue on the court’s jurisdiction under Article 199 of the Constitution to initiate treason proceedings against a citizen.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2014.
Lahore High Court (LHC) issued a direction to the Punjab Public Service Commission last week regarding recruitment of lecturers for Islamic studies.
Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh of the LHC directed the commission on Wednesday to ensure that non-Muslims were not allowed to teach Islamic studies. He was hearing a petition filed against a notification allegedly calling 17 non-Muslims for interviews leading to recruitment. The judge directed the commission’s counsel to produce their National Database and Registration Authority records to determine their religion.
Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry, the petitioner’s counsel, told the court that the commission was trying to obscure the truth by claiming that the candidates were Muslims. Maulana Azizur Rehman had filed the petition in 2012 to have the recruitment of non-Muslims to the post stayed. He also sought to have the notification for interviews declared void.
Death sentence converted to life imprisonment:
A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Wednesday converted the death penalty awarded to two men for attempting to assassinate Maulana Azam Tariq.
Ghulam Raza Naqvi and Zaheer Ahmad, the appellants, told the court that a trial court had sentenced them to death without taking important facts into account. The court set aside the verdict and converted it to life imprisonment.
Reply sought from government
LHC sought a reply from the federal government regarding a petition challenging Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s appointment as chairperson of Prime Minister’s Youth Loan Programme.
The court asked the government to inform it about the legal status of the programme and the criteria regulating its chairperson’s appointment. Zubair Niazi, a PTI leader, had filed the petition to challenge the appointment. Judge Syed Mansoor Ali Shah said the government would have to explain how public money was being used.
Charges to be framed against TV host, others on Nov 7
A five-member bench of the LHC has fixed November 7 as the date for framing charges against ARY News Chief Executive Officer Salman Iqbal, Mubashir Lucman, an anchor and the producer of Khara Such, a television programme for contempt of court. They are accused of denigrating the judiciary. Judge Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi directed them to appear before the court on the next hearing.
Aitchison College’s board of governors
LHC sought a reply from the government regarding a petition challenging appointments to Aitchison College’s board of governors and a change in its admissions policy for grade K-II.
Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah gave the direction while hearing a petition filed by Sarah Khan and Fasihuddin. The petitioners’ counsel said 19 people had been appointed to the board. He said they had also changed the admissions policy to grade K-II. He said this was illegal.
AGP’s assistance sought:
A bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sought the assistance of the attorney-general of Pakistan (AGP) to decide the maintainability of a petition seeking the registration of a treason case against Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Tahirul Qadri and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan for compromising public order. Judge Khalid Mehmood Khan asked AK Dogar, the petitioner’s counsel, to argue on the court’s jurisdiction under Article 199 of the Constitution to initiate treason proceedings against a citizen.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2014.