LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has suspended the removal of University of Education (UoE) Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Aslam Saeed, allowing the Punjab government’s lawyer more time to submit a reply to a petition by the professor.

Justice Ahmad Nadeem Arshad passed the stay order after a law officer of the provincial government sought time to file reports and para-wise comments on behalf of the respondents.

The judge allowed the request and gave 10 working days to the law officer to do so.

However, the judge observed that the operation of the impugned notification about the petitioner’s removal shall remain suspended.

Advocate Awais Khalid argued on behalf of the petitioner that the chancellor/governor, without giving any notice, removed his client from the post. He pointed out that the petitioner was appointed as pro-VC on Aug 3, 2023 for a period of three years under the law.

He said the petitioner later also started working as the VC of the UoE after the post fell vacant.

The counsel stated that the chancellor, on Sept 4, 2024, issued a notification removing the petitioner from the post only after one year and that too without adopting the due process of law. He argued that an employee could not be handed down the major penalty of removal from service without a proper inquiry and affording a fair opportunity to explain his/her position.

He contended that the respondents acted in an unfair and unjust manner, which was liable to be struck down by the court.

The counsel asked the court to set aside the impugned order and reinstate the petitioner to his position.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2024