Delaying tactics: Contempt of court notices issued to housing minister, other officials

Faisal Saleh Hayat did not reinstate two officers despite court orders.

ISLAMABAD:

Failure to comply with the court orders has earned Federal Minister for Housing Faisal Saleh Hayat a contempt notice.

On Monday, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued show cause notice to the Federal Minister for Housing and Works Faisal Saleh Hayat, Secretary Kamran Lashari and Director General Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD) Zamir Ghulab for not complying with the court orders.

Superintending Engineer (Civil) Mian Masud Akhtar and Executive Engineer Rana Saleem Akhtar had challenged their suspension.

Their counsel Abdur Rahim Bhatti contended before the judge that his clients were suspended for three months from the posts in June 2011. However,they were not restored to the post after the expiry of suspension orders.

The court on December 29 last year, had ordered to reinstate both the officers to the posts with immediate effect. But instead of complying with the court order, the concerned authorities transferred them to Quetta.

The officials then filed a petition under article 204 of the constitution, praying the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the respondents including Hayat, Lashari and DG Pak PWD for flouting the court orders.

The counsel contended that as per the court’s previous order, a copy of the petition along with the orders were sent to the office of the Pak PWD Director General for his clients’ reinstatement who wilfully and without any legal justification, defied the order.

He said that the secretary of the ministry, however, issued notification of his clients’ reinstatement to the post but did not take them on duty. He argued that his clients are being victimised.

He also contended that the suspension of his clients was a result of sheer political clash of interest of the politicians sitting at the helm of affairs.

Bhatti said that Haider Khan Kharal, son of Khalid Khan Kharal, is a cousin of Federal Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat. Haider, after being defeated by Riaz Fatyana in the elections, is now playing the role of a front man to the minister, who is demanding a heavy bribe from his clients for their reinstatement to the post.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Siddiqui issued show cause notices to all the respondents including Hayat for the second week of March, asking him as to why contempt of court proceedings may not be initiated against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2012.