Lahore:
According to details, Chief Justice Lahore High Court Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan heard Shafiqul-ur-Rehman’s request to make judicial allowance a part of his pension. Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Chief Secretary Punjab and other officials appeared before the court. Additional Advocate General Malik Akhtar Javed argued in the court that 4 constitutional petitions are pending in the High Court.
The petitions sought implementation of the decision of the High Court Executive Committee. This decision is administrative in nature. While contempt of court proceedings can only be instituted under Article 204 of the Constitution, the notification of the Administrative Committee of the High Court is not judicial in nature.
The Chief Justice, while talking to the Law Officer, Additional Advocate General, remarked that the decision of the court you are presenting has been rejected. Tell me, does the Chief Minister have any immunity under the Constitution? Today I may have to take contempt of court action against the Chief Minister. Under the law, the Governor and the President have immunity.
The Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister said that the Chief Minister could not even think of contempt of court, the Chief Minister had given immediate approval as soon as he received the summary.
On which the Chief Justice said that I have started declaring that the Chief Minister is a party in this case. If the ordinance is issued by 11 am tomorrow, then I will see, this government has done many such things even within 8 hours.
The petitioners contended that Judicial Allowance has been included in the pensions of judicial employees in other provinces of Pakistan. It is requested that in Punjab also the court should order to make Judicial T Allowance a part of pension. The court adjourned the hearing till 5 pm tomorrow at the request of public prosecutors. The Chief Justice remarked that if the work was not done by 5 pm tomorrow, the Chief Minister would be summoned and show cause notices would be issued at the same time. I will decide on Sunday.
