Pakistan Defence Secretary’s termination challenged in Lahore High Court

Pakistan Defence Secretary’s termination challenged in Lahore High Court

The dismissal of ex Defence Secretary, Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Naeem Lodhi by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani was challenged in the Lahore High court of the country today.

A petition filed by the lawyer Azhar Siddique contended that the sacking of defence secretary by the Pakistan Prime Minister violated the rules of government.

"The removal of Lodhi is an attempt to create a confrontation between the institutions,” claimed Siddique in his petition filed with the Lahore High Court on Friday. “He has been removed without giving any show-cause notice and without
providing him an opportunity to defend himself," the petition read further.

Gilani had yesterday sacked Lodhi, a former three star general of army, alleging that the later was creating misunderstandings between state institutions on the contentious memo scandal embroiling former Pakistan Ambassador to US Hussain
Haqqani and the president of the country, Mr Asif Ali Zardari.

Lodhi was fired by the PM shortly after the military issued a statement that said Gilani’s recent criticism of the army and ISI chiefs could have "grievous consequences" for the government as well as the country.

Gilani believes the defence secretary, owing to his army background, was close to the army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and was responsible for creating misunderstandings between the government and the armed forces.

The Prime Minister handed an additional charge of defence secretary to his principal secretary, Nargis Sethi with immediate effect.

In his petition, Siddique mentioned that the issuance of a show-cause notice to any government employee was mandatory before terminating him from his post but in case of Lodhi, this was ignored by the government.

Siddique requested the court to revoke Lodhi’s termination with immediate effect and stop Nargis Sethi from assuming the additional charge of the defence secretary.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=9186

Posted by Asma Rafique on Jan 13 2012. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry