LAHORE: The Supreme Court on Monday suspended a Lahore High Court decision about the regularization of contract employees (BS-16-18) at the Punjab University.

The university filed three appeals challenging the LHC decision saying the employees misled the high court to obtain a favourable order.

Representing the appeals, Advocate Awais Khalid argued that the respondents were appointed on a contract basis and they had no vested right for extension or regularisation of their services beyond the scope of the terms and conditions mentioned in the contracts.

He said the high court had not appreciated the fact that the contracts of the respondents stood completed and they could not claim extension as a matter of right.

The counsel pointed out that the respondents were appointed on an ad hoc basis by then vice chancellor on his own without adopting the due procedure.

He said the NAB had already taken cognizance of illegal appointments at the PU, including that of the respondents.

He argued that the impugned judgment had been passed without applying judicial mind as it was beyond all judicial restraint.

He asked the apex court to accept the appeals and set aside the impugned decision.

A three-judge bench admitted the appeals for hearing and suspended the operation of the LHC order. The bench sought further arguments from all the parties concerned on next hearing.

The respondents include lecturers Ziaur Rehman, Shafia Bhatti, Tahira Akbar Sial, Bushra Siddique, Fatima Noreen, Muhammad Ishfaq, Yasir Gondal and Awais Mufti.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2020