Lahore High Court Chief Justice, Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry here Thursday suspending operation of show-cause notices issued to PCS officers, restrained chief secretary Punjab from any proceedings against them. The CJ issued this order in a petition of president PCS officers welfare association Punjab and sought reply from the chief secretary by next date of hearing on May 5.
Earlier, senior advocate Hamid Khan appeared on the behalf of the petitioner and argued that the show cause notices issued to PCS officers are illegal and without lawful authority. Khan pleaded that association of the provincial employees has been collectively striving for their rights in all provinces, which had been usurped by the civil servants of the federation belonging to DMG group.
He further said that DMG group has a strong lobby both at the federal and provincial level, therefore, conditions of PCS officers are unfavourable particularly in the case of promotions and postings. Referring to different remedial measures suggested by provincial selection board and Punjab Assembly to address the issue in past, the counsel pointed out that those were never implemented. He alleged that the officers are being subjected to vindictive action and requested the court to set aside the notices and proceedings initiated against the officers.
According to the petition's contents, Chief Minister Punjab constituted a committee to resolve the issue, which made various recommendations to address the problem and it was assured that the same would be implemented by July 31, 2011. However, Chief secretary Punjab and Additional Chief Secretary Punjab resorted to delaying tactics in this regard, they said. They submitted that under the said circumstances, the association planned to call for a strike on March 21.
However, on March 18, when some association members were handing out pamphlets for the purpose, they said respondent used this opportunity and secretariat police was ordered to arrest these person distributing pamphlets, they alleged. The petitioners said that the move resulted in gathering of hundreds of officers/clerks in civil secretariat who protested against such arrests. The office bearers, including petitioners of PCS officers association arrived on the scene and after a peaceful demonstration, dispersed for Juma prayers.
However, a group of around 100 PCS officers were illegally taken into custody and later, a FIR was registered 73 officers (including petitioners), the petitioners said, adding that they were released next day and requested for cancellation of FIR was pending before Lahore High Court. They said that the said respondents, in order to humiliate petitioners and others issued show cause notices dated March 18 to 29 officers, whereby baseless allegations were levelled against them.
The petitioners contended that the respondents dispensed with the requirement of holding an inquiry and under mala fide intentions opted for shorter procedure, aiming to remove the petitioners from service. They said that the respondents suspended them from service vide a suspension order dated March 18. They prayed to the court to declare the disciplinary proceedings against them as illegal and set aside the show cause notices and suspension orders.
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