Latest news with #IHC
Business Recorder
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Concerns voiced over govt decision to lay off daily wage, contractual employees
ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat has expressed serious reservations over the government's decision to lay-off contractual and daily wages employees and decided to refer the matter to the Parliament for further deliberations. The 3rd meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was held under chairmanship of Ibrar Ahmed. While responding to 'the Protection of Rights of Regularised Civil Servants and Employees Bill 2024,' moved by MNA Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Inamullah Khan said the government has abolished 60 percent of the vacant vacancies since the government is no more in a position to bear the cost of these vacancies. He apprised the members that as per the judgement of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on 01.11.2017, 'No one is allowed to hire any person on daily wages, contract basis, in any project, organisation Office, Ministries/ Divisions, etc.; except in accordance with law.' He said that in the judgement, it was also mentioned that all persons have to be appointed on permanent post only and appointment on ad-hoc basis could not be considered for regularisation and no individual could claim any legal right for regularisation under any consideration while appointed on ad-hoc basis. 'All project employees who are appointed in BS-16 and above on projects could not claim regularisation of their services unless their projects have been converted from development to non-development phase by the government of Pakistan. The secretary said the Supreme Court also upheld the IHC's stance in its judgement on 13-09-2024. By stating: 'Foregoing in view, it is concluded that the High Court correctly understood the controversy at hand and made a well-founded decision based on the relevant laws on the issue.' He said in the appointment letter of contractual employees it is clearly mentioned that during the service they will not seek permanent employment. Khurshid Shah, on this occasion, said that the Parliament is above the judiciary and the judiciary could not overrule the legislation passed by the Parliament. He said the daily wagers and contractual employees working in the government departments deserved to be regularised. The chairman committee said majority of daily wages and contractual employees become overage for civil service exams and if their services would be terminated then it will be great injustice. Pir Ameer Ali Shah Jeelani said one of the ministers assured us that no employee of Utility Stores Corporation would lose their jobs and they would be accommodated in other departments. But now these 17,000 Utility Stores employees are protesting on roads in such harsh weather conditions for the restoration of their jobs. The members said syllabus of Public Service Commission exams changed after every two to three years which made it very difficult for the contractual or daily wages employees to pass. They said how the government can abolish the posts of lower grades such as of drivers and gardeners when they needed them. The committee also recommended to the Establishment Division not to take any action against any employee which came under the purview of the legislation till its final outcome. On this occasion, commending the Establishment Division and Finance Division on attaining ISO 9001 certification, the committee has recommended that all the ministries should follow suit and get them certified as per international certification standards. The secretary Establishment Division apprised the committee about the working of the division and its core functions. He apprised that management of four occupational groups of services of Pakistan came under its purview besides regulation of all matters related to the recruitment, promotion, verification of character and antecedents, conduct and discipline and terms and conditions of civil posts in connection with affairs of the Federation. Apprising about the last five years performance of the Division, he said that special professional pay scales were introduced, head hunt was conducted to meet professional manpower requirements for technical posts, rules for promotion of civil servants were revised besides revision of policy for upgradation/ re-designation of posts and other rules were carried out. He informed that with technological advancement, Establishment Division had adopted human resources management information system. Apprising about the ongoing initiatives, the secretary said that deputation policy was being revised, updating of Esta Code, Establishment Manual and Secretariat instruction was being carried out. The meeting was attended by MNAs; Tahira Aurangzeb, Nuzhat Sadiq, Dr Nelson Azeem, Ali Asghar Khan, Khurram Munawar Manj, Syed Raza Ali Gillani, Shahida Begum and Rana Ansar, Ehsanul Haq Bajwa, Muhammad Aslam Ghumman, through Zoom, movers; Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, MNA and Sahibzada Sibghatullah, MNA, the secretary Establishment Division and other officers of other concerned departments also attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IHC to resume PECA hearing on Sept 18
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has scheduled hearing on the petitions challenging the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes (PECA) Amendment Act 2025. Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas will take up the petitions on September 18. Earlier, Justice Minhas had held a hearing on July 7, during which the arguments had begun but the court did not set the next hearing date at that timewhich has now been announced. The petitions have been filed by the PFUJ, television anchors, and the Islamabad High Court Journalists Association. In the previous hearing, Dr Yasir Aman, the lawyer for PFUJ, presented arguments and is expected to continue them at the next hearing as well. The National Assembly on January 23 of this year amended the country's cybercrime law — PECA, 2016 — granting the government expanded powers to regulate and control social media platforms amid protest by journalists and right activists. Several groups and individuals later filed petitions against the amended law in different high courts of the country including the IHC.
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
East Dundee OKs spending $508,000 to remove lead water lines
East Dundee plans to spend more than a half million dollars this year removing lead service lines that bring water into village homes and businesses. The $508,000 earmarked for the first year of the Lead Service Line Replacement project will pay for the removal of pipes leading to 36 of the 300 properties known to have lead service lines, said Phil Cotter, director of public works. A service line is one that connects a home or business to the village's water main line below the street. Communities throughout the country have been mandated to replace the lines by the state and federal Environmental Protection agencies by 2037. While the pipes are typically safe because calcification encases the lead, the substance can be released into the water when the pipes are disrupted, experts say. Lead has not been detected in East Dundee's drinking water. However, the potential for water contamination is dangerous because of the physical harm it can cause if consumed. The greatest risk is to children because it can damage the brain and nervous system, leading to slow growth and development and learning and behavior problems, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This week, the East Dundee Village Board voted to waive bidding requirements and award the service line removal contract to IHC Construction Cos. based on competitive bids obtained this year by West Dundee, Cotter said. Typically the village would seek its own bids but since East Dundee is only doing 36 removals this year, it made sense to go with what West Dundee had already received, he said. IHC Construction's unit price is within the average cost to replace lead service lines, which is between $12,000 and $15,000, Cotter said. West Dundee is replacing 224 lead service lines. IHC is one of two companies that bid for its project and was the lowest bidder. IHC is an Elgin-based firm that has done the same work in Elgin, Cary, Glen Ellyn and Oak Park, Cotter said. East Dundee has hired Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers to oversee the project. Cotter said the village submitted its replacement project plans to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and plans to start work this year. The work will be paid for with $500,000 earmarked in the village's water and sewer operating budget for 2025. East Dundee also increased its water rate by 10% and its sewer rate by 3% this year to pay for line removal work, he said. They're hoping to secure state or federal funding or loans as the program continues, Cotter said. This year's funding will cover line removal for: IHC will do the work ahead of upcoming street improvement projects to be done in those areas, Cotter said.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Dr Aafia case: IHC issues contempt notice to PM, cabinet
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued contempt notices to the prime minister and the federal cabinet in a petition filed by Dr Fowzia Siddiqui, seeking the repatriation, health status, and release of her sister, Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who is imprisoned in the United States of America. A single bench of Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, on Monday, hearing Siddiqui's petition, issued the notices against the prime minister and members of the federal cabinet over the government's failure to submit a report in the Dr Aafia Siddiqui case. Justice Ejaz expressed strong displeasure over the government for not submitting the required report about why the government was refusing to sign an amicus brief on Aafia case. He noted in his written order, 'The government has not reverted with the reasons despite being directed to do so, it is in contempt, leaving me with no option but to issue a notice of contempt to the Federal Government.' The IHC office is directed to initiate a contempt petition accordingly, in which all the members of the federal government will be respondents. The replies of all the Ministers, including the Prime Minister, shall be filed within two weeks from today (July 21). Justice Ejaz stated that ever since the demolition squad was catapulted into this High Court after the 26th Constitutional Amendment, they have seen one heresy after another hurled at the edifice of justice, maiming it repeatedly, and bringing it almost to its last breaths. 'This is yet another instance. The heresy I speak of now is besieging the dispensation of Justice by a Judge of the High Court by the device of the 'weekly roster' controlled by the office of the Chief Justice. It is both heart-rending and amusing at the same time, a blend of paradox that this High Court has become,' said the judge. Justice Ejaz mentioned that he had passed the previous order giving the government time to revert with its decision, while cautioning the Additional Advocate General that inaction would leave him no choice but to proceed in contempt. The government filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against his earlier decision permitting amendments to the petition for continuation of this case. He stated that for whatever reason, the government's case had not been taken up by the Supreme Court. The machinations of the executive appeared elsewhere, in the form of controlling the proceedings of this Court through its roster. 'The legal historians would write that now, even if he wishes to by reason of imperatives of urgent justice, a judge is now not allowed to hold Court by the High Court establishment when he is on leave,' added the judge. He pointed out that his leave was meant to start today and the roster of judges sitting for this week therefore did not include his name. 'The leave schedule was announced much earlier to the date on which I had ordered to list this case today, given its importance and the need for swift dispensation of justice in this and the other eases that ordered for listing today.' The judge also said that on Thursday or perhaps Friday, he was informed through his PS by the Office that the cause list will not be issued unless the roster of the sitting judges for this week was amended with the leave of the Chief Justice. That seemed to me a trivial matter and he asked his PS to move an application accordingly. He further said that he was informed on Saturday that the application was duly moved but the file remained on the table of the Chief Justice, who did not find even 30 seconds to sign it. He maintained, 'Whether that was by design or oversight, I cannot say for sure, but given the manner in which the roster of judges has been used as a tool for the desired outcome in specific cases, and given the government's stiff opposition to do what is right and to stand by the daughter of the nation at the critical juncture of the Motion before a US Court, I may be forgiven for thinking that it was the former. The correct legal position is that the Office cannot use the shoulder of the Chief Justice in the exercise of administrative powers to obstruct judicial proceedings ordered by a Judge in an ongoing case.' Justice Ejaz stated that the motivation of a Judge to hold Court on a day on which he is 'officially' on leave would spell out whether the reason to hold Court was any ulterior motive or the dispensation of justice. 'I trust that all right thinking men and women would agree with me that today my decision to hold Court was solely and exclusively for the purposes of dispensation of justice. Gone are the days when a Judge could pass an order even while playing Golf or dining with his family if the exigency so required. The ceremony of robes and a Courtroom – or the menial triviality of a cause list as in this case – were never the indispensable prerequisites for him to carry out judicial business. He said this is yet another instance of the reproachable use of the administrative power to shackle the exercise of independent judicial authority, with the likely motivation to pend (until my leave ends) the government's response with reasons as to why it would not sign the amicus brief. However, the imperatives of justice shall not be defeated by such petty means. 'To the extent I can, I will exercise my judicial authority to the end of upholding the dignity of the High Court and the justice it dispenses.' Later, the bench deferred hearing of the case until September 1. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IHC startscontempt case against PM, cabinet
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has initiated contempt proceedings against Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his entire cabinet for disregarding its order to provide reasons for not assisting a US court hearing the case of incarcerated neuroscientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui. "As the government has not reverted with the reasons despite being directed to do so, it is in contempt, leaving me with no option but to issue a notice of contempt to the Federal Government. "Office is directed to initiate a contempt petition accordingly, in which all the members of the Federal Government will be respondents. The replies of all the ministers, including the prime minister, shall be filed within two weeks from today," said a three-page order authored by Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan. The judge noted that in his last order he had given the government time to revert with its decision, while cautioning the state law officer that inaction would result in contempt proceedings. The federal government on July 15 approached the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the May 16, 2025, order of the IHC that allowed amendments to a previously settled petition concerning Dr Aafia Siddiqui - nearly a decade after its filing. The SC, however, has not yet listed the petition for hearing. Justice Ejaz Ishaq Khan was to go on summer vacation from Monday (July 21). However, he had announced at the last hearing that he would hear the case on July 21. Interestingly, the IHC did not list the case for hearing before his bench. The judge, nevertheless, heard the case on Monday and later issued a blistering order, criticizing IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and the entire "demolition squad catapulted into" the IHC after the 26th amendment. Justice Khan noted that the leave schedule was announced much earlier to the date on which he had ordered to list this case today, given its importance and the need for swift dispensation of justice "On Thursday or perhaps Friday, I was informed through my PS [personal secretary] by the office that the cause list will not be issued unless the roster of the sitting judges for this week was amended with the leave of the chief justice. "That seemed to me a trivial matter and I asked my PS to move an application accordingly. I was informed on Saturday that the application was duly moved but the file remained on the table of the Chief Justice, who did not find even 30 seconds to sign it. "Whether that was by design or oversight, I cannot say for sure, but given the manner in which the roster of judges has been used as a tool for the desired outcome in specific cases, and given the government's stiff opposition to do what is right and to stand by the daughter of the nation at the critical juncture of the motion before a US Court, I may be forgiven for thinking that it was the former." He said the government filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against his earlier decision permitting amendments to the petition for continuation of this case but the SC did not take up the case. "[So] the machinations of the executive appeared elsewhere, in the form of controlling the proceedings of this court through its roster. "The legal historians would write that now, even if he wishes to by reason of imperatives of urgent justice, a judge is now not allowed to hold court by the high court establishment when he is on leave." He stated that the correct legal position is that the office cannot use the shoulder of the CJ in the exercise of administrative powers to obstruct judicial proceedings ordered by a judge. He said the motivation of a judge to hold court on a day on which he is officially' on leave would spell out whether the reason to hold court was any ulterior motive or the dispensation of justice. "I trust that all right thinking men and women would agree with me that today my decision to hold court was solely and exclusively for the purposes of dispensation of justice. He said gone were the days when a judge could pass an order even while playing golf or dining with his family, if the exigency so required. The ceremony of robes and a courtroom – or the menial triviality of a cause list as in this case were never the indispensable prerequisites for him to carry out judicial business. "This is yet another instance of the reproachable use of the administrative power to shackle the exercise of independent judicial authority, with the likely motivation to pend (until my leave ends) the government's response with reasons as to why it would not sign the amicus brief. "However, the imperatives of justice shall not be defeated by such petty means. To the extent I can, I will exercise my judicial authority to the end of upholding the dignity of the High Court and the justice it dispenses," he added. The bench will resume hearing the case on September 1.
