SC suspends reinstatement of Sukkur Education Executive District Officer

Court censures reinstatement of Sukkur Education EDO, terminated for making illegal appointments

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) declared on Monday that the Sindh chief minister's decision to reinstate Sukkur Education Executive District Officer (EDO) Abdul Ghaffar Mehr was an act of nepotism.

The court suspended the provincial government's decision and directed the authorities to immediately stop paying salary to him. The court also demanded that the CM and the chief secretary tender an explanation.

During the hearing at the Karachi Registry, a two-member bench comprising Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah questioned how the CM could bypass the procedures of a department when making a decision. Justice Ahmed asked who had given the CM the right to restore anyone without having the summary for the proposal approved. He remarked that the real story is often forgotten when dubious summaries are made up.

The apex court strongly censured the CM's action to restore Mehr to the post. Justice Ahmed remarked that the case was an example of nepotism of our rulers and added that the preferential treatment on the CM's part was plain injustice.

Additional Advocate General Sarwar Khan said that Mehr was allegedly involved in illegal appointments. After declaring him responsible, the chief secretary had suggested his termination, upon which the former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah had removed Mehr in 2015.

SHC issues notices to former education secretary for lodging false cases

However, Qaim withdrew his decision later in 2016. When the matter was reported to the current CM Syed Murad Ali Shah, he also chose to uphold Mehr's appointment.

After reinstatement of Mehr, other staff members who had been terminated on the basis of Mehr's illegal appointments filed a petition for restoration of their jobs. They argued that they deserved the same treatment as that offered to Mehr.

Fishermen Cooperative Society

The same bench adjourned the hearing of the multi-million-rupee corruption case in the Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS) after the counsels for the suspects sought an extension to submit their response.

The court heard the bail pleas of the former FCS administrator and chairperson Abdul Saeed Khan, Abu Bakr Mariwala and Gul Munir Sheikh.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Deputy Prosecutor Syed Amjad Ali Shah and counsels of the suspects appeared before the court.

The counsels sought an extension for submitting responses. The counsel argued that the Sindh High Court (SHC) had disregarded realities and dismissed the bail pleas and added that the allegations against Khan for making 155 illegal appointments were baseless. Mariwala and Sheikh are accused of irregularities in awarding contracts. A reference against Nisar Morai and several other accused is under trial at the NAB court.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2019.