LAHORE: A Lahore High Court (LHC) judge on Tuesday referred a petition challenging the appointment of director general Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Punjab to the LHC chief justice with a request to fix it before a larger bench.
Justice Muzamil Akhtar Shabbir heard the petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Secretary General Asad Umar.
The petitioner’s counsel argued before the court that the caretaker Punjab government was
responsible for holding transparent elections in Punjab only and it could not make appointments and transfers. He argued that the caretaker government had appointed Sohail Zafar Chatta as DG ACE Punjab in violation of rules. He pleaded with the court to set aside the appointment being illegal.
However, a law officer opposed the petition and submitted that the caretaker government was empowered to make appointments and postings. He further argued that the petition was not maintainable. To which, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the petition was maintainable.
At this stage, the law officer submitted that a larger bench was hearing identical petitions
and requested the court to refer the matter to it. Subsequently, the court referred the petition to the LHC chief Justice with a request to fix it before the larger bench.
