LAHORE - The Lahore High Court yesterday expressed dismay over non-payment of pension dues to a retired Station House Officer of police and sought written reply from the Inspector General Punjab police.

The judge remarked that proceedings would be started against the responsible if it was proved that there was no solid reason behind non-payment of pension dues to the former officer. The judge adjourned further proceedings till the next hearing.

Earlier, Muhammad Aslam who got retired as SHO three years ago said that he did not get anything sine the day he was retired. The petitioner through his counsel said that there were no criminal proceedings against him or any case of his involvement in any illegal act but despite that he was not given his pension and other benefits.

He prayed the court to order the authorities concerned to pay him his pension dues and other benefits as retired officer. After hearing initial arguments of the petitioner, Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan of the LHC issued notice to IGP and sought his written reply on the next hearing. The next hearing date is in office.

Vote of no confidence case

The Lahore High Court yesterday issued notice to the authorities concerns in a petition challenging motion and proceedings of vote of no confidence initiated against Vice-Chairman of Cantonment Board of Gujranwala.

Zafarullah Khan advocate had filed the petition through his counsel Advocate Mobeen Qazi and submitted that he contested and won the election for the seat of member of the Cantonment Board Gujranwala, from Ward No 2 in the Cantonments Local Government Elections 2015, held on April 25, 2015.

According to Cantonment Ordinance, 2002, as well as the old Law  of Cantonment Act, 1924, almost all the financial, executive and administrative powers of the Cantonment Boards vest in the president of the board, who is a non – elected serving Armed forces Officer normally the Officer Commanding the Station.

Whereas, the Vice President of a Cantonment Board, who is an elected Member of the Board, has no independent authority or power, except to exercise the powers of the President of the Board in his absence or the powers delegated by the President, he submitted.

He further submitted that in the petitioner’s case, he could not get any opportunity to exercise any financial, executive, or administrative power or authority, as neither the President of the Board ever absented nor otherwise delegated any powers to the Petitioner being a VP. Hence, he only acted as an ordinary Member having a limited role of exercising right to vote on the resolutions moved during the Board’s meeting.   He said that the President of the Cantonment Board, who happened to be the serving Brigadier of Pakistan Army namely Brigadier Mohyul Islam, started pressurizing  him to act as a rubber stamp for him and support his actions through getting approval of resolutions of the Board.   

The petitioner said that in these backdrop facts, the President orchestrated a move of so called no confidence motion. Through pressurizing the members, he procured an application on Sept 5, 2016 from seven elected members and issued notice to the petitioner at home.  He said he had public mandate and no such motion could be initiated against him. 

He said he also approached the local civil court which decided in his favour but the president refused to comply with the order of the court. He prayed the court to set aside the impugned proceedings of no-confidence motion while proceeding under the old Law of Cantonment Act, 1924, may graciously also be set aside.

He further prayed the court to restrain respondents from removing the petitioner as the Vice President of the CBG, in any manner whatsoever, on the basis of the impugned proceedings. He also prayed the court to  restrain President of the CBG from interfering in the smooth exercise of power and authority by the petitioner as the elected Vice President of the Cantonment Board Gujranwala.   After hearing initial arguments of the petitioner, Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh of the LHC issued notice to the ECP and others and adjourned further hearing until Oct 19.