LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday directed the secretary for the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) to let community-based motivators perform their duties till the next hearing.

“The role of motivators is inevitable these days as they would have to inform the communities about coronavirus and other hygiene and sanitation issues but the government has terminated their services,” argued advocate Humayon Faiz Rasool, the counsel for the motivators who had filed petition.

The counsel stated the petitioners had been working for the last five years and their contracts had been regularly renewed, which showed that the posts occupied by them were permanent in nature. He said the petitioners, after a series of extension in contracts, had been adjusted in different payrolls, including the Punjab government’s Annual Development Programme.

He pointed out the chief minister had also extended the contract period of employees of the Public Health and Engineering Department but the department was reluctant to do that without explaining any reason.

He requested the court to restrain the government from terminating the petitioners’ service and also order their regularisation in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.

Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti restrained the respondent secretary from disturbing the community motivators and asked him let them perform their work. Further hearing was adjourned till April 21.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2020