You’re in, you’re out: Polyclinic official terms her dismissal illegal

Dr Anis Kausar was dismissed by caretaker govt, reinstated on SC order, then sacked.

ISLAMABAD:

A former assistant executive director at Polyclinic has decided to file a lawsuit against Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) and the hospital administration over her “illegal dismissal”.

Dr Anis Kausar said she will move the Supreme Court (SC) against the decision to dismiss her from service earlier this month, despite being cleared to continue working by the Federal Service Tribunal (FST).

She said the caretaker government cancelled her contract, a move which was which was later nullified by a blanket ban ordered by the SC as the caretaker setup was overreaching its mandate by conducting unnecessary postings and transfers. She was then reinstated and given approval to reassume her position by the FST.

But soon after, on June 13 she received a letter from CADD stating, “The termination of your contract appointment has been validated by the Supreme Court,” and ordering her to vacate her office.

“The prime minister extended my contact in August 2012 for two years through a proper procedure and it is just June 2013. I have been fired illegally without any reason,” said Dr Kausar while sharing her documents with The Express Tribune.



“I have served at Polyclinic for over 30 years, my husband also worked here. It is really disappointing to see such a rude and insulting attitude towards a senior female employee. I’m a widow and have two children who are currently studying and this job was the only source of income for the three of us,” she said.

“After getting permission from the FST, when I tried to enter my office, the acting joint executive director harassed me and told me to leave immediately or he would call the police to remove me from the hospital. I wanted to at least take my possessions from the room, but he did not allow me to do so,” she claimed.

She said there are other doctors working on contract, including another female doctor, but she has not been terminated because “she has strong political backing”.

“This is a clear discrimination and I will knock at the doors of the SC to seek justice,” she said.

She had also appealed to the prime minister to look in to her case, but said she has not received any response thus far.

When contacted, CADD Secretary Shafqat Naghmi said he would reexamine the case to see if the basis for termination was justifiable.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2013.