KARACHI:
The appointment of retired individuals on important posts in public sector institutions has been challenged in the Sindh High Court.
A non-governmental organisation, United Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, filed the petition on Saturday, questioning the posting of people over the age of 60 on deputation and contract.
The court has accepted the plea and is likely to hear the case on July 24.
The petitioner, Rana Fiazul Hasan, submitted that the Sindh government has posted a number of retired officers as vice chancellors at public universities, despite an order by the Supreme Court against it.
The vice chancellors at University of Karachi, NED University of Engineering and Technology, University of Sindh, Sindh Agriculture University, Shah Abdul Latif University and Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology are all over the superannuation age, as are the chairmen of the intermediate education boards of Karachi and Hyderabad.
The court was asked to order the removal of all illegally appointed vice chancellors in Sindh’s universities.
Hasan also alleged that dozens of officers have been posted on deputation from the federal government in the Sindh Assembly and the Sindh information department, where grade 17 officers are enjoying perks and privileges of grade 18.
He added that the Sindh government is defying a number of court orders to send back all deputed officers from its departments.
The petitioner alleged that federal minister Khursheed Shah had his son and nephew appointed on deputation in the Federal Investigation Agency. To accommodate his son, a new post of assistant director of administration was specifically created, he added.
Hasan stated that the government has posted contract employees to 77 key posts in violation of Articles 4, 8, 25 and 38 of the constitution.
He appealed to the court to order that all on-deputation officials be sent back to their parent departments. He asked the court to order the immediate removal of all contract officers and the vacant posts be given to competent officers.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2012.
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