Eearly farewell: PHC serves notices to FATA officials over forced retirement

Counsel claims that his client has been forced to retire at the age of 55 in violation of the Levies Act 1950.

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has sought replies from the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions secretary, Khyber Agency political agent and the additional chief secretary of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) over the alleged forced retirement of a levy subaidar major.

Major Muhammad Nawaz was due to retire after five years.

A PHC division bench headed by Justice Miftahuddin and Justice Irshad Qaisar issued the notices. Wakilur Rehman, Nawaz’s counsel, said his client was recruited in the levies force in 1983 and was promoted to the rank of subaidar major in 2012. He claims that his client has been forced to retire at the age of 55 in violation of the Levies Act 1950.

In another case, the bench issued notices to the dean of Post Graduate Medical Institute for allegedly placing an FCPS (II) candidate at 237th position instead of 13 on the merit list.

Ziaur Rehman Khattak, counsel for petitioner Dr Fahmida Sattar, said that his client pursued MBBS from Bolan Medical College (BMC) in 2009 following a FCPS (I) degree from the same college. Dr Sattar obtained 66.64%, but was placed 237th on the merit list for FCPS (II), he added.

Khattak contended that his client was placed at 237th position because she did her MBBS from BMC.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2013.