LHC throws out plea against appointment of Punjab CM advisers

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday threw out the petition filed against the appointment of advisers of the Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, saying it was inadmissible for the hearing, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

During the hearing, Justice Faisal Zaman Khan asked Mian Muhammad Asif Mehmood Advocate, counsel for petitioner Shehzad, to give arguments in support of his plea that the petition merited hearing. 

The counsel replied there existed no law regarding the appointment of advisers, and his client had filed the petition only in public interest. 

“If that was the case, you ought to have submitted a detailed petition,” the judge remarked. 

He further said if there was no law on the appointment of advisers, then he (the petitioner) should go to the relevant forum and file the petition there.    

Making the chief minister, Punjab chief secretary, additional chief secretary and law secretary respondents, the petitioner contended that the CM had appointed over 30 persons as his political advisers, but failed to fulfil legal requirements prior to that. “These advisers are drawing millions of rupees in salaries; therefore, it is prayed to the court to declare all these appointments null and void,” read the petition.

The applicant had further prayed to the court to bar the advisers from working as long as the case was sub judice.      

Reporter: Malik Ashraf