Saaf Pani company official summoned

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday summoned acting general manager of Punjab Saaf Pani Company on a petition moved by over dozen terminated employees of the company.

Muhammad Amjad and 15 others, including officers of BS-17 had approached the court challenging their removal for being illegal.

Counsel of the petitioners, Advocate Safdar Shaheen Pirzada told the court that the acting general manager of the company had been extending threats to the petitioners since when they had filed the petition. He claimed that the acting general manager also told the petitioners that he would not submit any reply to the court. He said the conduct of the officer amounted to contempt of court.

Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi observed that if allegations of the petitioners proved to be true the court would issue a contempt notice to the Saaf Pani Company’s acting general manager. The judge directed the officer to appear in person on September 16 and explain his position in the case.

Earlier, the counsel argued that the company removed around 132 employees on the pretext of financial crunch. He said the company violated the conditions of the employment contract by terminating services of the petitioners. He argued that the petitioners were appointed on project posts and their services could not be terminated until the completion of the project.

The lawyer asked the court to set aside the impugned orders for being unlawful and reinstate them to their posts in the interest of justice.