Non-compliance with court orders to reinstate the foreign ministry’s stenographer-typist led to the Islamabad High Court issuing notices to the foreign secretary and others on Wednesday.
Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi issued contempt of court petitions to Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, Admin Addition Secretary Ikramullah Masud, Admin Director General Waheed Ahmad and Establishment Deputy Director Muhammad Afzal Chaudhry for not complying with the court’s previous order.
Mustafa Hussain Khan served as the ministry’s steno-typist for the last two decades, but was dismissed in 2010, without any intimation, on the charge of being absent from office.
In April 2011, Khan, who was actually on 18 months leave, appealed against his dismissal to the Federal Services Tribunal (FST). While setting aside the orders of removal, the FST ordered the concerned authorities to reinstate Khan to his former post with immediate effect.
When the authorities failed to implement the FST order, Mustafa approached the Islamabad High Court through his lawyer, Advocate Shoaib Shaheen.
After scrutinising the record and detailed arguments by the counsel, Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi had ordered the ministry on January 16 to implement the FST order and submit a report within a fortnight. Instead of complying with the orders, the ministry filed an intra-court appeal against Justice Kasi’s order.
A bench comprising Justice Riaz Ahmad Khan and Justice Azeem Khan Afridi heard the appeal, found it was not maintainable and dismissed it while ordering the ministry to comply with Justice Kasi’s order.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2012.
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