Appointment Of Commissioner Of Workmen’s Compensation, Lahore, Challenged
The Lahore High Court has issued notices to National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Punjab Labour Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar on a petition challenging the appointment of the Commissioner of Workmen’s Compensation for being politically motivated.
Petitioner Muhammad Idrees pleaded through his counsel that both the Speaker and the Minister had maneuvered posting of Nadeem Akhtar as the Commissioner on political consideration.
The counsel said that respondent Akhtar had been acting as authority under the Payment of Wages Act 1936 South Zone Lahore without a proper notification by the Secretary Labour, Punjab.
He said the Secretary Labour, Punjab, ignored a 2015 judgment of the LHC whereby he was directed to ensure appointment of the persons against the post of authority under the Payment of Wages Act according to the eligibility criteria provided under the law.
The counsel alleged that the respondent had been appointed on political grounds on the instruction of the NA Speaker upon which the Labour Minister posted him as Commissioner, Workmen’s Compensation, Lahore.
He said the Secretary Labour despite knowing the fact of registration of a bribery case against Nadeem Akhtar with the anti-corruption establishment, had appointed him against the post.
He asked the court to set aside the impugned appointment for being a result of political influence and in violation of merit.
Justice Shujaat Ali Khan issued notices to NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Punjab Labour Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar for May 13.
This news was previously published in DAWN and it is being republished here with permission.
