LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Punjab government and the King Edward Medical University (KEMU) on a petition challenging appointment of Prof Dr Saeed Qazi as pro-vice chancellor of the varsity.

Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah was hearing a public interest petition filed by Advocate Shoaib Saleem.

The lawyer told the court that section 15 of the University`s Act said that the Chancellor shall nominate the pro-vice chancellor of the university from amongst three senior most professors of the university for a term of three years.

However, he said, Dr Saeed Qazi was appointed as pro-vice chancellor despite being on 13th number in the seniority list. He said the merit was violated in the appointment of the respondent.

The petitioner-lawyer said DrQazi did not have the required experience as well to hold the post.

He asked the court to set aside the impugned appointment for being illegal and in violation of the rules.

Justice Shah adjourned further hearing till Nov 17 and sought a reply and issued notices to the respondents.

VERDICT RESERVED: The Lahore High Court on Monday reserved verdict on a contempt of court petition against a returning officer (RO) for not deciding an application against acceptance of nomination papers of PML-N`s Khwaja Ahmad Hassaan from Union Council (UC) 107 here.

A voter of the UC, Aziz Masood, challenged the candidature of Hassaan, who was elected chairman of the UC unopposed, through Advocate Sheraz Zaka. He said Hassaan served as vice chairman of the Lahore Development Authority and could not contest elections for two years after resigning from the post.The counsel said objection was raised before the RO concerned but he did not entertain the application despite court`s order. He sought contempt proceedings against the RO.

However, a law officer of the election commission argued before the court that the petitioner was not an aggrieved person and had no locus standi to file the petition. He urged the court to dismiss the petition for being nonmaintainable. The court after hearing both sides reserved verdict till Oct 29.

SHO SUMMONED: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench on Monday summoned the Lohari Gate station house officer (SHO) along with record of proceedings of a case against Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique in the anti-terrorism court (ATC) that had declared him a proclaimed offender (PO) over non-appearance.

The bench, headed by Justice Sadagat Ali Khan, was hearing an appeal of the Punjab ProsecutionThe counsel said objection was raised before the RO concerned but he did not entertain the application despite court`s order. He sought contempt proceedings against the RO.

However, a law officer of the election commission argued before the court that the petitioner was not an aggrieved person and had no locus standi to file the petition. He urged the court to dismiss the petition for being nonmaintainable. The court after hearing both sides reserved verdict till Oct 29.

SHO SUMMONED: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench on Monday summoned the Lohari Gate station house officer (SHO) along with record of proceedings of a case against Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique in the anti-terrorism court (ATC) that had declared him a proclaimed offender (PO) over non-appearance.

The bench, headed by Justice Sadagat Ali Khan, was hearing an appeal of the Punjab ProsecutionDepartment against the trial court`s order that declared the minister a PO.

Deputy Prosecutor General Khurram Khan told the bench that Saad Rafique and others had staged a public meeting at Lohari Gate in 2004 regarding likely return of Shahbaz Sharif from the exile. He said the police had registered a case against Saad and other PML-N workers under the AntiTerrorism Act, alleging them of creating the law and order situation.

He said the case was pending adjudication before an ATC and witnesses had also testified against him (Rafique).

The prosecutor said Saad did not appear before the trial court and was declared a PO. He pleaded that the case was lodged on political groundsandprayedtothebenchto set aside the order of the trial court.

The bench adjourned hearing for six weeks, seeking appearance of the SHO.