Visually-impaired student approaches LHC against PU

LAHORE: A visually-impaired student has approached the Lahore High Court against Punjab University for not allowing her to take the examination for admission to a master’s programme.

Kinza Sajid, through her counsel, stated that she secured a gold medal in graduation and applied for the admission to master’s (psychology). The petitioner submitted that being suffering from cataract, she requested the Punjab University authorities to print the examination paper in big font. The authorities not only rejected her application but also barred her from taking the examination, adds the petitioner. She also complained about the misbehaviour she was meted out at the hands of the university officials.

The petitioner requested the court to order the PU administration to grant her admission to the master’s programme and also take action against the officials involved in her mistreatment. plea rejected: The Lahore High Court Friday dismissed a petition by director legal affairs of Pakistan Railways challenging termination of his contract by the government.

During a railways related hearing at the Supreme Court, Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad had complained to Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar that he was very helpless minister as he could not even appoint legal adviser of his choice.

The minister had told the chief justice that railways former director legal Tahir Pervez had obtained a stay from the high court after the authorities terminated his contract. Tahir Pervez, who was present in the court, had pleaded that he was unlawfully removed before expiry of his contract.

At this, Chief Justice Nisar had directed the high court to decide the matter within one week or so. Justice Jawad Hassan of the LHC heard the petition of Tahir Pervez and dismissed the same within an observation that the petitioner being a contract employee had no locus standi to file the petition.

“It is a settled law that, where a service grievance is agitated by a person/employee who is not governed by statutory rules of service, the constitutional petition before the high court, in terms of Article 199 of the Constitution is not maintainable,” the judge ruled.

The judge observed that a contract employee instead of pressing for his reinstatement to serve for the leftover period can at best claim damages to the extent of unexpired period of his service. He ruled that contract employees are always governed by the terms and conditions of contract and cannot ask for more than that.

“I see no illegality or legal infirmity in the impugned order. Consequently, the instant petition is devoid of any merit and is accordingly dismissed, the verdict concludes. prosecutors appointed: On the recommendation of Punjab Public Service Commission the Punjab Public Prosecution Department has posted 122 assistant district public prosecutors of BPS-17. A notification in this regard has also been issued.

It is pertinent to mention here that the process of recruitment was geared up on the direction of the minister public prosecution. While posting these assistant district public prosecutors remote areas were given prime importance. Female prosecutors and prosecutors selected on special seats have been posted on their first available priority district.

Punjab Minister for Public Prosecution Ch Zaheerud-Din said this crucial induction of young blood in the prosecution department would not only boost up the conviction rate of the cases but would also gear up the efficacy of the department as well.