Continuing perks: Zamurd Khan lifetime appointment challenged

Petitioners allege violation of federal government hiring regulations; hearing fixed for April 29.


Obaid Abbasi April 28, 2013
Petitioners allege violation of federal government hiring regulations; hearing fixed for April 29. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

ISLAMABAD:


Pakistan People’s Party member Zamurd Khan’s lifetime appointment as patron-in-chief of Pakistan Sweet Homes, a project run by Pakistan Baitul Maal (PBM), was challenged in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Saturday. 


PBM district officers Rana Shakeel and Mian Faisal filed a petition in the IHC, questioning the legality of Khan’s appointment, which was made on March 14, 2013 by former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

The principal secretary to the prime minister and PBM deputy director were also cited as respondents. The petitioners argued that there were other competent civil servants who were more deserving than Khan of the post.

They also claimed that the appointment was in violation of federal government hiring regulations as the post had not been publicly advertised.

Khan will be contesting the upcoming elections from NA-54 Rawalpindi against the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Malik Ibrar. Ibrar had defeated Khan in the 2008 polls.

The petitioners also accused Khan of nepotism by alleging that he had appointed two relatives to lucrative posts while serving as PBM managing director in 2010.

Khan’s elder brother Kamran was posted to BPS-19 as PBM Director Education, while his brother-in-law Chaudhry Hameed Liaquat was posted to BPS-17 as PBM Assistant Director (Legal).

The petitioners had requested the court to declare the appointments of both Khan and his relatives as illegal. Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi will be hearing the petition on April 29.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28th, 2013.

COMMENTS (1)

Abid P. Khan | 10 years ago | Reply

I would suggest that both Rana Shakeel and Mian Faisal, instead of creating this fuss, should join the partying. The last man to leave, should turn off the lights.

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