Lahore: The sacking of Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Naeem Lodhi by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani was challenged in a Pakistani court on Thursday.
Lawyer Azhar Siddique filed a petition in the Lahore High Court that contended that Gilani's sacking of the Defence Secretary violated government rules.
"The removal of Lodhi is an attempt to create a confrontation between the institutions. He has been removed without giving any show-cause notice and without providing him an opportunity to defend himself," Siddique claimed.
Gilani on Wednesday sacked Lodhi for creating misunderstandings between state institutions on the memo scandal.
He was fired shortly after the military issued a statement that said Gilani's recent criticism of the army and intelligence chiefs could have "grievous consequences".
The premier believes the Defence Secretary, considered close to army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, was responsible for creating misunderstandings between the government and the armed forces.
Siddique further said the issuance of a show-cause notice to any government employee was mandatory but this was ignored by the government.
He asked the court to set aside the termination of Lodhi and to restrain Nargis Sethi, Principal Secretary to the premier, from assuming the additional charge of the Defence Secretary.
Comments
0 comment