LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Hamza Shehbaz challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) the “unlawful” transfer of Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal and police chief Rao Sardar Ali Khan.
Afzal and Khan were transferred out on Friday reportedly over refusal to “sort out” the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) floor crossers to stop them from voting for Shehbaz in the Punjab Assembly.
In his petition submitted Saturday, Shehbaz nominated the provincial government, the chief secretary, and the police chief as respondents.
It stated that Buzdar’s resignation was accepted on April 1 and, since then, the powers he assumed are that of the caretaker chief minister.
“The postings and transfers of the officers such as Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police of the province can only be made in consultation with the provincial government.
“It is also an admitted position that the provincial cabinet does not exist, therefore, essentially no provincial government exists. Hence such appointments/postings/transfers are without lawful authority,” Hamza argued.
He also said that as the process of the chief minister’s elections had begun, the matter of transfers and postings had to be halted since such moves had all the trappings of “unfair, partial and arbitrary interference in the election process”.
The courts too had deprecated and set aside transfers and postings during the election process, it added.
“The impugned transfers at such level, during the pending process of the election of the Chief Minister, and in particular, subsequent to the issuance of notices by this Hon’ble Court, clearly exhibits unholy designs and audacious conduct of the respondents.”
Consequently, the petitioner requested the transfers be stayed and the respondents should be restrained from taking illegal action during the process of elections.
