Lahore High Court restores upgradation of paramedics

Providing a big relief to lady health visitors, laboratory and pharmacy technicians, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday declared the order given by the health department to withdraw the upgradation of paramedics null and void, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. The court also ordered the return of the amount deducted from paramedics and that all financial and service benefits be given to them. In a 28-page verdict, authored by Justice Shireen Imran, it was said that the withdrawal of upgradations after several years constituted a violation of legal principles, and that the health department's order to take back the benefits it had given to paramedics without legal justification was not correct. The LHC said it had not been proved that the petitioners either committed a fraud or concealed the facts. The high court said it was not right to object to an upgradation to BS-16 without first upgraded to BS-14. Reporter: Malik Ashraf