Dr Ali Ahmad Kharral, Shahnaz Riaz
The country’s top court has directed the federal government to remove immediately the newly-appointed head of the federal capital’s educational institutes’ regulatory authority and appoint a qualified person in 15 days.
A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim on Wednesday took up a contempt plea filed by former Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) director-general Shahnaz Riaz, challenging her removal from the post on April 7, 2015, in violation of court’s orders.
Earlier, the same bench on February 1 took strong exception to the appointment of Moinuddin Ahmad Wani on the same post.
He was a grade-19 officer, who was appointed to a grade-20 post.
The bench had ordered the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) secretary to remove Moinuddin immediately, and appoint a new director-general of the FDE.
The CADD was also asked to submit a compliance report within 15 days.
In compliance with the court’s order, the CADD, had on Tuesday, submitted a concise statement before the bench, wherein it was submitted that Moinuddin had been repatriated to his parent department and Dr Ali Ahmad Kharral was appointed as the new director-general of the FDE.
However, the bench has again objected over the qualification of the newly-appointed director general as Kharral was vice-principal of an intermediate college, and according to the appointment criteria, the nominee should be vice-principal of a degree college.
The CADD and the Establishment Division secretaries were summoned on Wednesday.
Deputy Attorney-General Sohail Mahmood on the secretaries’ behalf, submitted that the newly-appointed director general was “overqualified” and “well experienced”, adding that he was a PhD in English.
But the court rejected the argument and directed the government to remove Kharral immediately.
The bench taking strong exception to the transfer of the former director-general Riaz to the National Institute of Science and Technology ordered the government to cancel her transfer and appoint in a department affiliated with the CADD.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2016.
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