Illegal appointment?: Nespak chief restrained from working

Counsel argues Asad Ismail Khan is a political appointee.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) restrained the chief of National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) from performing his duties after his appointment was challenged.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui while accepting the petition of Waseemul Haq Ansari, restrained Asad Ismail Khan from serving as Managing Director (MD) till July 7. The court issued notices to Khan, ministry of water and power secretary, Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) chairman and sought their replies. Justice Siddiqui observed that prima facie it seems the appointment was made on a political basis.



The petitioner, through his counsel Hafiz Arafat Ahmed, had challenged Khan’s appointment citing a ‘lack of competitive process’.

Advocate Ahmed maintained that the previous government had appointed Khan as MD in April 2009 for three years and later granted him a year’s extension which expired in April.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that Khan’s appointment was made on a political basis and competitive process was not adopted in violation of PEC Act 1976. He informed the court that PEC, the engineering profession’s regulatory body, had objected to Khan’s appointment.



Ahmed further informed that the caretaker government had appointed Tahir Shamshad as MD, but the Supreme Court had declared all appointments of caretaker premier Mir Hazar Khan Khoso as illegal and Khan was subsequently reappointed. He contended that former PM Raja Pervez Ashraf, who was also minister of water and power, had appointed Khan. “He is an architect by profession and has no background in engineering which is essential for this post,” claimed Ahmed. “He has served his term plus an extension, but he continues to be in office and asked the court to remove him.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2013.