No more favours: Plot allotments to deputationists banned
Order granting plots to senior CDA officials cancelled.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui declared the allotments of plots in June 2012 to senior CDA officials illegal after the counsel was unable to prove that due process was followed. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday banned the allotment of plots to deputationists working in the capital’s civic agency.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui declared the allotments of plots in June 2012 to senior CDA officials illegal after the counsel was unable to prove that due process was followed. The court also directed the CDA chairman to make a seniority list of officers in accordance with rules. “Plots should be allotted on the basis of the seniority list,” he observed.
Ex-CDA Officers’ Association had filed a petition last year challenging the allotment of plots to deputationists in CDA. During Wednesday’s proceedings Advocate Hafiz Arafat Ahmed who was representing the association informed the bench that many officials working on deputation in CDA joined the authority to get plots in the federal capital.
He informed the court that according to the CDA Land Disposal Regulation 2005, only regular employees were entitled to get a plot after serving 10 years, however CDA amended the regulation by adding deputationists to the list which was illegal.
Ahmed argued that initially, it was compulsory for a deputationist to serve in CDA for three years to become eligible for a plot, but this period was reduced by the authority. He alleged that deputationists used political connections to get a posting in CDA.
PTV MD in the dock
Meanwhile, in a separate case, the court asked for a list of employees inducted in the state-run television network during the tenure of the current managing director (MD).
During the course of hearing, PTV MD Yousaf Baig Mirza appeared before the court along with his counsel Naeem Bokhari and submitted the notification of his appointment. Bokhari informed the court that Mirza was appointed on contract.”There is no policy for following a competitive process for this post as the prime minister is the appointing authority,” he maintained. He argued that MDs have been appointed by the premier since the establishment of the PTV network, submitting a list of MDs appointed so far.
The court asked for details of the salary drawn by MD PTV since he joined the network. The case was adjourned till April 12. On April 9, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had summoned Mirza in person, after the network’s counsel failed to convince the court that he was appointed on merit.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2013.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday banned the allotment of plots to deputationists working in the capital’s civic agency.
Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui declared the allotments of plots in June 2012 to senior CDA officials illegal after the counsel was unable to prove that due process was followed. The court also directed the CDA chairman to make a seniority list of officers in accordance with rules. “Plots should be allotted on the basis of the seniority list,” he observed.
Ex-CDA Officers’ Association had filed a petition last year challenging the allotment of plots to deputationists in CDA. During Wednesday’s proceedings Advocate Hafiz Arafat Ahmed who was representing the association informed the bench that many officials working on deputation in CDA joined the authority to get plots in the federal capital.
He informed the court that according to the CDA Land Disposal Regulation 2005, only regular employees were entitled to get a plot after serving 10 years, however CDA amended the regulation by adding deputationists to the list which was illegal.
Ahmed argued that initially, it was compulsory for a deputationist to serve in CDA for three years to become eligible for a plot, but this period was reduced by the authority. He alleged that deputationists used political connections to get a posting in CDA.
PTV MD in the dock
Meanwhile, in a separate case, the court asked for a list of employees inducted in the state-run television network during the tenure of the current managing director (MD).
During the course of hearing, PTV MD Yousaf Baig Mirza appeared before the court along with his counsel Naeem Bokhari and submitted the notification of his appointment. Bokhari informed the court that Mirza was appointed on contract.”There is no policy for following a competitive process for this post as the prime minister is the appointing authority,” he maintained. He argued that MDs have been appointed by the premier since the establishment of the PTV network, submitting a list of MDs appointed so far.
The court asked for details of the salary drawn by MD PTV since he joined the network. The case was adjourned till April 12. On April 9, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui had summoned Mirza in person, after the network’s counsel failed to convince the court that he was appointed on merit.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 11th, 2013.