SC questions recruitment of deceased govt officials' children

CJP Gulzar says such practice eliminates merit altogether

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Tuesday raised questions over the practice of recruiting the children of government employees who die during service.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Siraj Mohammad who had asked the top court for intervention after the Education Ministry failed to hire him following the death of his father. Siraj said the ministry did not hire him despite the Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) order in his favour.

The additional attorney general informed the court that Siraj’s father died in 2000 whereas the Prime Minister’s Package that promises a job to a family member came into effect in 2005.

Justice Mazhar Alam Mian Khel remarked that initially, the law was passed to facilitate the families of police and other martyrs.

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During the hearing, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked that the law was made for low-income employees but it was the children of officers who were recruited. He added that the law of hiring the sons in place of their (deceased) fathers was bizarre.

The chief justice further said that government offices were not something to be inherited as employment in such a manner eliminated merit altogether. 

The Supreme Court quashed the PHC’s decision and said that only children whose father died after 2005 would be eligible for government service.