PHC seeks reply on director appointment

Court seeks explanation for posting Grade-19 officer over seniors

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education to submit a detailed reply by November 13 regarding the appointment of a Grade-19 female officer as Director despite the presence of senior Grade-20 officers in the department.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal heard the case. Petitioner's counsel, Khalid Mahmood Saghar Advocate, argued that the provincial government is running the Elementary and Secondary Education Department on an ad-hoc and acting charge basis, which has severely affected its performance and the quality of education in schools.

He informed the court that in a previous hearing, the High Court had ordered the government to appoint a permanent Director on merit. However, on October 21, the Education Department issued a notification appointing a Grade-19 officer from the Education Management Cadre who ranks much lower in the seniority list, resulting in Grade-20 officers working under her.

The counsel further contended that the provincial government had failed to comply with the court's earlier orders, leading to administrative decay in the department. Justice Sahibzada Asadullah questioned whether the petitioner had challenged the October 21 notification, to which the lawyer replied that he had filed a supplementary petition and a contempt of court application, arguing that the appointment violated the court's directives.

Senior officials of the Education Department, including the Deputy Secretary, appeared before the court and claimed that the appointment was made in accordance with the court's previous directions. However, Advocate Saghar insisted that the High Court had clearly ordered that the appointment be made strictly on the basis of merit and seniority, which had not been followed.

He also alleged that one Grade-20 officer had been made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to facilitate the posting of a preferred candidate.