Defiance? ‘Deputations, absorptions in CDA violation of SC verdicts’

Top court summons civic agency chief over alleged out-of-turn promotions.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court has observed that prima facie (at first sight), all deputations, absorption and promotions in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have been made in violation of the court’s judgments.

While taking up a suo motu case on Friday, a two-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim also summoned the CDA chairman to present a written reply on the alleged out-of-turn promotions in the civic agency.

The bench remarked that if the CDA chairman did not submit the reply in person, the Capital Administration and Development Division secretary would be asked to appear in the court in person.

The Supreme Court Human Rights Cell had taken notice of a TV report on October 31, 2014 which said that various CDA officials were promoted out of turn between 2007 and 2012.

According to the TV report, around 1,000 officials of different scales were illegally promoted during the tenures of former CDA chairmen Farkhand Iqbal and Imtiaz Inayat Elahi.

The report claimed that nine grade-18 officers, and 59 grade-16 and 17 officers were promoted illegally. Similarly, questions were raised over the promotions of 26 CDA hospital staffers including nine doctors.

Earlier, the SC Human Rights Cell had sought details of all irregular promotions made in the CDA in the recent past. The CDA had submitted a reply, which the cell declared unsatisfactory and later forwarded the case for hearing.

Ex- CDA official Roshan Khan then moved a contempt petition against illegal promotions, upgradation and absorptions in the CDA.

Deputy Attorney General Sohail Mahmood appeared to assist the bench in the case.

During the hearing, Zulfiqar Maloka, a counsel for petitioner, told the court that Nawazish Ali, an official of the National Trust for Population Welfare, got himself an illegal transfer to the CDA on deputation. Later, he was transferred to the interior ministry and is now working at the National Accountability Bureau.

Upon this, Justice Ami Hani made a light remark that Ali should be ousted before he managed to be elevated to the rank of a federal secretary.  The judge also questioned if there were laws in the CDA governing promotion, deputation and upgradation policies.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th,  2016.