The Supreme Court has ordered to pay salaries to teachers of Punjab Colleges Pilot Project within course of days, adding that responsible for humiliation of respective lecturers should be nominated and brought before the court.
A three-member bench of Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the suo motu notice against the nonpayment of salaries to the lecturers and professors of the Punjab Colleges Pilot Project on Tuesday.
Punjab government has assured to the apex court that salaries to these teachers would be given within course of days and provincial government has issued notification in this regard. Deputy Secretary Finance Muhammad Iqbal informed the court that Rs 563 million are due to pay to the teachers.
Meanwhile court observed that government can not deny giving basic rights to the citizens, if any government fails to provide the basic right it would be considered as failure of that government.
Chief Justice, in his remarks, said that teachers should be respected more than anybody else in society. They are made professors but are living from hand to mouth due to nonpayment of salaries, CJ said.
The CJ asked the authorities to tell that who ordered to stop the salaries. The court will take action against him, he said.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said that non-payment of salaries to the railway employees and lady health workers were also in his notice.
Chief Justice in his remarks said, “The people for salaries protesting everyday in the country. If the salaries are not paid, then how the health and homes can run? Salary not reaching the house breaks out a dooms day.” The chief justice also referred to what Hazrat Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “If even a dog dies of hunger on the bank of Euphrates, then he would be responsible for that.” He said that we can not see any Umar (RA) here.
Chief Justice remarked that Allah had not gifted this country for killing of masses through hunger and rulers become problem for public, adding that the attitude of government about education can be seen here that there is no attention on education at all.
Excesses are being made with respectable teachers, their children are facing problems and government is busy to benefit their blue eyed people through establishing different kinds of boards, CJP remarked.
Chief Justice said that why rulers do not read Article 09 of Constitution, adding that no one is ready to pay attention on miseries of the poor of the country. Country is running on the prayers of these poor and rulers have no ideas about their miseries, CJ added.
CJP inquired from Additional Advocate General Punjab (ADGP)
Jawad Mirza that why salaries are not been given to these employees, do you know that how these families are surviving for last six months.
ADGP replied that finance department has released salaries of employees and would receive within two days and notification in this regard has been issued, adding that there is a difficulty that board of directors of these colleges has not been completed.
Chief Justice said that court does not know about your technicalities and just want release of salaries of teachers, adding that the notifications of government would not provide bread and milk to the children of employees. He said that if government fails to provide salaries to the staff court would seas the funds of government CJ warned.
Court has to intervene when departments avoid from their due duty, adding that is this a good governance? that teachers are being denied from their rights.
Later Advocate General Khawaja Haris appeared before the court and assured that salaries would be paid to employees by today (Wednesday).
Court adjourned the matter till today (Wednesday) and sought report consisting of the details of salaries and directed to nominate the responsible for humiliation of teachers.