Supreme Court upholds PST decision on teachers allowances

LAHORE:The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an appeal of the Punjab government and upheld a decision of the Punjab Service Tribunal about provision of allowances to the Secondary School Teachers (SSTs) from the date of their initial appointment as contract employees.

Representing the government’s appeal, Additional Advocate General Rana Shamshad Khan argued that the order of the tribunal had multiple legal flaws. He said the tribunal’s order, if implemented, would cause a huge burden on the national exchequer as there were over hundred thousand in the province. Headed by Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik, a two-judge bench observed that apparently the government wanted to pay a salary to the teachers what they were getting 10 years ago.

“Does the government treat the teachers as sheep and goats?” Justice Malik further asked the law officer posing a query to him as to why the teachers should not be granted the benefit of the allowances from the date of their initial appointment.

“How would you feel if the court orders withdrawal of all your allowances?” the judge asked the law officer. The judge remarked that teaching was a noble profession and the teachers also needed to be respected equally.

On behalf of the teachers’ association, Advocate Safdar Shaheen Pirzada argued that the government’s act was illegal and in sheer violation of the fundamental rights of the teachers. He said the teachers, parties in the case, were appointed on contract and later were regularised in 2009. However, he said, they had to approach the service tribunal for their legal right of the allowances with retrospective effect. After hearing both sides, the bench dismissed the appeal of the government.

remand extended: An accountability court on Monday extended judicial remand of former SSP Junaid Arshad until February 9 (today), an accused of assets beyond means. Previously, the court had framed charges against the accused. On Monday, a prosecution witness was cross examined. The NAB accused former police officer of accumulating wealth worth millions of rupees particularly between 2002 and 2008. Junaid is also facing a case of cybercrime in which the FIA has accused him of uploading obscene pictures of his former wife.