LHC warns CM, others over UAF VC appointment

LAHORE:The Lahore High Court Monday warned Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and other government functionaries of serious consequences for purposely delaying implementation of a judgment on appointment of the vice chancellor of University of Agriculture Faisalabad.

On the previous hearing, Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi had given a last opportunity to a provincial law officer with a direction to submit a compliance report or the chief minister and others would be summoned for defiance of the order. However, the law officer during Monday's hearing once again sought time for the implementation of the decision saying the process for the appointment of the vice chancellor had been started that required at least one week for its competition.

Justice Sethi expressed serious dismay over the law officer’s conduct and observed that the government had been delaying the implementation of the judgment with mala fide intentions to achieve political motives. “Why are you forcing the court to summon the chief minister right now?” the judge asked the law officer and reminded him that there must be no misconception that the court would hesitate from summoning the chief minister. On a short notice, the secretary implementation and coordination appeared before the court and said the Chief Minister’s office had received the summary for the appointment a day before. He said a week or so would be required to send an advice to the chancellor/governor. However, Justice Sethi turned down the request for a week-long adjournment and directed the government to submit the compliance report on Oct 14 or face the consequences. The judge cautioned the law officer that even a minute-long conviction would entail serious consequences for the public office holders. Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan had filed the contempt petition through Advocate Bilal Hassan Minto pleading that a single bench had on Feb 4, 2020 set aside the appointment of Dr Muhammad Ashraf as the vice chancellor of the university with a direction to the government to notify the candidate highest in the merit list strictly in accordance with law.