LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has suspended the termination of Nabila Hakim Khan the Ombudsperson Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace by the caretaker government of Punjab.

The court also allowed the petitioner’s counsel to amend the petition and implead the ECP as a proper party in the case to determine the scope of the caretaker government under the Election Act.

Earlier, the petitioner’s counsel argued before the court that the impugned notification issued by the caretaker government was without lawful authority.

He said under section 230 of the Election Act the caretaker government had no jurisdiction to remove the petitioner. He further stated that Protection against Harassment of Women Act also provides security of tenure of four years and the petitioner cannot be prematurely removed.

A law officer objected to the maintainability of the petition on the ground that the Election Commission of Pakistan had not been impleaded as a party. He also argued that the tenure of the ombudsperson was enhanced from two to four years by the previous government at the end of the term of the assembly which had no legal effect.

The court observed that the points rose in the petition needed consideration and sought replies from the federal and provincial governments besides the ECP by August 18.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023