SHC seeks lists of civil servants working in the media

Over a hundred media workers are regular employees of education, health, agriculture and other depts in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Friday the provincial government to submit lists of government servants working as journalists in all administrative divisions of Sindh.

The bench, comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Fahim Ahmed Siddiqi, gave a final warning to the provincial additional advocate-general after the Hyderabad commissioner submitted the list for nine districts of the division.

According to the list, over 100 media workers are regular employees of the education, local government, health, agriculture, irrigation, revenue, population welfare and other departments in Hyderabad division.

During the hearing, several journalists from Nawabshah and Jamshoro districts pleaded before the bench that they want to retire from their government service but their departments are not accepting their applications.



They requested the court to order their departments to accept their retirements. "The journalists in Sindh have been affected by this order," commented Advocate Riazat Ali Sehar, who pleaded for the respondent journalists. Sehar requested the bench to consider the media profession of the government employees in question as a part-time job.

"Will you [lawyers] allow government servants to join the legal profession?" Justice Siddiqi asked Advocate Sehar.

Additional Advocate-General Allah Bachayo Soomro sought further time for compliance with the August 29 order which directed the commissioners of all divisions in Sindh to submit reports of public servants working in media.



"As an indulgence and last chance," Justice Panhwar said, while adjourning the case to October 19.

The bench also ordered the schools and colleges education secretaries to initiate a departmental inquiry and initiate proceedings according to the rules against their employees working in the media.