Court directives: Govt ordered to regularise Islamabad police constables

Over 400 personnel dismissed last year had filed a petition with IHC.

ISLAMABAD:

In what proved to be a small victory for over 400 constables of the Islamabad police, whose services were terminated last December, a capital court on Wednesday directed the government to regularise them on merit.

Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) disposed of the case filed by 428 contractual constables of the capital police who had gone to court against their dismissal.

Some 428 ex-army men who had joined Islamabad police on contract in 2009, had filed a petition in IHC for regularisation of their services.

The petitioners’ counsel, Abdul Rehman, informed the court that the constables’ tenure was due to be completed in June 2103, but their services were terminated in last December without any justification. Despite former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s announcement to regularise all government employees including police constables in 2011, they were dismissed from service, which was illegal, he argued.

The government is trying to induct political appointees while neglecting the rights of those working since 2009, Rehman added.

The counsel said the chairman of the sub-committee on regularisation, Khurshid Shah had failed to implement the order issued by the former premier to regularise them.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Rehman said the bench had granted a stay and issued notices to the interior secretary and Islamabad Inspector General of Police in the first week of January.

The IGP was restrained from taking adverse action against the constables while their case was pending in court.

The bench decided the matter and passed an order to regularise police constables, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2013.