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LHC suspends termination of newly-recruited doctors
LAHORE: Justice Muhammad Khalid Mehmood Khan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday suspended the Punjab government’s orders terminating newly-recruited doctors, who were being compelled to furnish compulsory service affidavits. The court allowed 10 days to doctors to join the service and submit affidavits. The court also adjourned the case until April 17. The counsel for the petitioner-doctors said that his clients were recruited on the recommendation of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC). The health department later directed them to file affidavits containing certain restrictions, he added. He said that requiring compulsory service affidavits from the petitioners was a violation of the law and amounted to forced labour. He said that under the constitution, no person could be forced or restricted to do a job for a particular period and in a particular area. He requested the court to declare the action of the provincial government illegal. The counsel for the Punjab government said that all the applicants were informed beforehand during the recruitment process conducted by the PPSC that during service, they would neither be allowed to apply for jobs in foreign countries nor would they refuse to work in rural areas. He said that the government was spending money on imparting education to doctors and that they should not refuse serving anywhere in the province.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk