Intelligence Bureau deputy chief challenges his termination

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Director General (DDG) Intelligence Bureau (IB) Asghar Mahmood on Monday challenged a termination notice from his job in Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Mahmood filed a writ petition in the IHC challenging the February 18 termination notification, making the secretary establishment division, secretary cabinet division and principal secretary to the prime minister the respondents. The petitioner contended that he was a former employee of Pakistan Police and was posted at key posts.

According to him, he was appointed on a contract basis as Deputy Director (BS-20) in IB on April 2010, for one year.

He said the establishment division issued the termination letter on February 18, despite the fact that his contract period had not expired.

Mahmood maintained that no notice was issued to him before the termination notice. He further contended that the appointment contract was liable to termination on a notice of 30 days.

According to the petition, such an attitude was discriminatory as no other contract employees were terminated. He also mentioned in his petition that this is the policy of pick and choose by the government to terminate the employees.

The petition said that this was in violation of articles 4, 9 and 25 of the constitution.

The petitioner was excluded from the definition of civil servant under section 2 of the civil servant Act 1973.

He prayed the court to set aside the termination notice. Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan is scheduled to take up this matter on Tuesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 22^nd, 2011.