LHC seeks reply from PEF over appointments
Petitioner claims foundation hired all employees on the basis of nepotism
Women Development Minister Hameeda Waheeduddin speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a day care centre at the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) head office. PHOTO: NNI
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday sought a reply from the chief secretary and the Punjab Education Foundation, besides 252 employees whose appointments were challenged for being in violation of the Merit and Recruitment Policy 2004.
Justice Shujat Ali Khan took up the petition and issued a notice to the respondents after hearing preliminary arguments. Chaudhry Shoaib Saleem advocate had filed the petition challenging appointments of 252 employees of the PEF with the assertion that all these appointments for posts of directors, deputy directors and assistant directors in various departments of the Authority were made in violation of the Recruitment Policy 2004.
57% of NGO-run public schools fail PEF assessments
This policy is followed by all the government departments for appointing their employees from grade 11 and above.
The lawyer said in the petition that the PEF hired all the employees on the basis of nepotism and thereafter moved a summary through the education department to the chief secretary to get these illegal appointments approved by the chief minister.
He maintained that the chief secretary forwarded the summary to the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) of the civil secretariat which originally formulated the recruitment policy.
PEF to upgrade schools to higher secondary level
However, the S&GAD rejected the summary moved by the PEF with the objection that this policy was made to ensure merit in appointments in all the departments and it is followed throughout Punjab, the lawyer said.
The petitioner requested the court to declare the appointment of 252 employees of the PEF as illegal and unlawful and restrain them from performing their duties with immediate effect.
He also requested the court to order a high-level inquiry against all such appointments and fix responsibility for the worst kind of nepotism by the Punjab Education Foundation. After hearing the arguments, the LHC sought reply from respondents within four weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2017.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday sought a reply from the chief secretary and the Punjab Education Foundation, besides 252 employees whose appointments were challenged for being in violation of the Merit and Recruitment Policy 2004.
Justice Shujat Ali Khan took up the petition and issued a notice to the respondents after hearing preliminary arguments. Chaudhry Shoaib Saleem advocate had filed the petition challenging appointments of 252 employees of the PEF with the assertion that all these appointments for posts of directors, deputy directors and assistant directors in various departments of the Authority were made in violation of the Recruitment Policy 2004.
57% of NGO-run public schools fail PEF assessments
This policy is followed by all the government departments for appointing their employees from grade 11 and above.
The lawyer said in the petition that the PEF hired all the employees on the basis of nepotism and thereafter moved a summary through the education department to the chief secretary to get these illegal appointments approved by the chief minister.
He maintained that the chief secretary forwarded the summary to the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) of the civil secretariat which originally formulated the recruitment policy.
PEF to upgrade schools to higher secondary level
However, the S&GAD rejected the summary moved by the PEF with the objection that this policy was made to ensure merit in appointments in all the departments and it is followed throughout Punjab, the lawyer said.
The petitioner requested the court to declare the appointment of 252 employees of the PEF as illegal and unlawful and restrain them from performing their duties with immediate effect.
He also requested the court to order a high-level inquiry against all such appointments and fix responsibility for the worst kind of nepotism by the Punjab Education Foundation. After hearing the arguments, the LHC sought reply from respondents within four weeks.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 14th, 2017.