Fighting for rights: Doctors contest new service structure
IHC puts senior bureaucrats, PIMS executive director on notice.
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday put on notices some top bureaucrats and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Executive Director on a petition challenging the implementation of the new service and pay structure.
IHC judge Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi issued notices to Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Secretary Jonaid Iqbal, Pims ED Prof Mehmood Jamal, Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) Chairman former Supreme Court judge Justice Rana Bhagwan Das, along with secretaries of Cabinet Division, ministries of law and finance as well as Establishment Division and sought their comments.
The new service and pay scale ordinance titled “Career Structure for Health Personnel (CSHP)” was promulgated by President Asif Zardari on August 27.
The petitioners, including 10 doctors and some paramedical staff of Pims, through a writ petition in the court contended that their new health personnel pay scale (HPS 1-13), that replaces the existing basic pay scale (BPS 1-22), has been implemented despite their disapproval.
The petitioners’ lawyer Mohsin Akhtar Kayani explained that as per clause 4(a) of the CHSP every health sector personal serving under the federal government was given the option to either continue the present BPS structure or opt for HPS within thirty days of notification of the ordinance.
The counsel said that even after over 95 per cent of the total regular employees of Pims refused to accept the new pay scale, it was implemented forcefully.
He further contended that through the implantation of HPS, the employees’ status as civil servants and their basic rights, including job security, perks and privileges, have been affected.
The counsel maintained that since the devolution of the health ministry on June 30, Pims was put under the administrative control of CADD.
He argued that the administrative division directly processed the case in the Cabinet Division, bypassing CADD, “which is a sheer violation of set procedures”.
He added that the decision to implement the pay scale was inconclusive as it ignored the constitutional provisions and did not take on board all stakeholders, including the petitioners.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday put on notices some top bureaucrats and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Executive Director on a petition challenging the implementation of the new service and pay structure.
IHC judge Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi issued notices to Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Secretary Jonaid Iqbal, Pims ED Prof Mehmood Jamal, Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) Chairman former Supreme Court judge Justice Rana Bhagwan Das, along with secretaries of Cabinet Division, ministries of law and finance as well as Establishment Division and sought their comments.
The new service and pay scale ordinance titled “Career Structure for Health Personnel (CSHP)” was promulgated by President Asif Zardari on August 27.
The petitioners, including 10 doctors and some paramedical staff of Pims, through a writ petition in the court contended that their new health personnel pay scale (HPS 1-13), that replaces the existing basic pay scale (BPS 1-22), has been implemented despite their disapproval.
The petitioners’ lawyer Mohsin Akhtar Kayani explained that as per clause 4(a) of the CHSP every health sector personal serving under the federal government was given the option to either continue the present BPS structure or opt for HPS within thirty days of notification of the ordinance.
The counsel said that even after over 95 per cent of the total regular employees of Pims refused to accept the new pay scale, it was implemented forcefully.
He further contended that through the implantation of HPS, the employees’ status as civil servants and their basic rights, including job security, perks and privileges, have been affected.
The counsel maintained that since the devolution of the health ministry on June 30, Pims was put under the administrative control of CADD.
He argued that the administrative division directly processed the case in the Cabinet Division, bypassing CADD, “which is a sheer violation of set procedures”.
He added that the decision to implement the pay scale was inconclusive as it ignored the constitutional provisions and did not take on board all stakeholders, including the petitioners.
He prayed to the court to nullify the new pay scale and ensure that the respondents are restrained from withdrawing any rights, facilities, perks and privileges of the petitioners.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 6th, 2011.