Dr Warraich’s lawyer Nayab Hassan had argued that his client qualified for the post with 22 years’ experience in public health. PHOTO: FILE
A court on Monday cancelled the controversial appointment of the executive director (ED) of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).
The Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui invalidated ED Dr Riaz Ahmed Warraich’s appointment, stating that he had not been appointed through a competitive process. Last month, the court had restrained Warraich from performing his duties as ED after entertaining a petition filed by Joint ED Dr Altaf Hussain who had challenged Warraich’s appointment.
During the proceedings, the court ordered the government to advertise the post and refrain from appointing its favourites. This is the fourth officer to be sent home this month. On April 13 the appointments of Pakistan Television Managing Director (MD) Yousaf Baig Mirza and Utility Stores Corporation MD Maj. Gen. (retd) Farooq were declared illegal, while the SECP chairman was removed by the Supreme Court. The high court had observed they had not been appointed on merit.
The previous PPP government had appointed Dr Warraich after replacing Prof. Mehmood Jamal last October. However in February, Joint ED Dr Hussain had challenged the ED’s appointment, stating he was not qualified for this post. Shoaib Shaheen, the petitioner’s counsel had maintained that Warraich was performing his duties as Pims ED and was appointed on deputation due to his political connections. He had argued that the ED was required to be an officer of grade 21, while over 20 years’ experience was mandatory with specialisation in an elected field. Warraich holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree, he had informed the court.
Dr Warraich’s lawyer Nayab Hassan had argued that his client qualified for the post with 22 years’ experience in public health. He had said his client was the head of oral and maxillofacial surgery at King Edward Medical University and Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Earlier, the court had restrained the government from promoting Warraich as vice chancellor of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 23rd, 2013.
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