LAHORE: The Punjab University on Monday has assured the Lahore High Court (LHC) that a Baloch female law student will be issued her roll number slip for LLB examinations.

Justice Shakil Ahmad was hearing a petition by Sadia Baloch who challenged a notification of her suspension from the rolls of the university, which also declared her a ‘miscreant student.’ At the outset, the judge asked the PU counsel to seek instructions on issuance of roll number slip to the petitioner.

The petition was again taken up in the latter part of the day when the PU’s counsel returned to the court to inform that on the basis of a new notification, the petitioner shall be issued her roll number slip and that further proceedings shall be held before a disciplinary committee.

At this, Justice Ahmad asked the petitioner’s counsel if he would still further press the petition.

Advocate Asad Jamal, the petitioner’s counsel, responded in affirmation, urging the court that the petitioner was challenging the very legal and constitutional basis of the powers exercised by the vice chancellor and other respondents against her. He said the subsequent notification presented by the university’s counsel did not annul the original notification, which had been challenged on the touchstone of the Constitution and the law. Therefore, he argued, the respondents should be directed to file replies.

The judge passed an order, directing the PU to issue roll number slip to the petitioner without any further loss of time. He also directed the respondents to submit their replies within one week.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2024