Dual benefits: IHC declares Sandhu’s appointment illegal
A petition citing lack of ‘competitive process’ was filed in IHC.
A petition citing lack of ‘competitive process’ was filed in IHC.
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday declared Ghulam Sarwar Sandhu’s appointment as Deputy Director General Planning, Capital Development Authority (CDA) illegal.
Sandhu was also holding the post of director housing societies in the authority. The decision came in response to a petition filed by former CDA official Muhammad Qasim, who had challenged Sandhu’s appointment citing a lack of ‘competitive process’ during his hiring.
In July 2011, Sandhu was arrested from the courtroom and sent to Adiala Jail for a day for his contemptuous attitude during court proceedings. Numerous controversies surround the official, from facilitating private housing societies and the questionable Diplomatic Shuttle Service contract.
Hafiz Arafat Ahmed, the counsel for the petitioner, informed Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi that Sandhu had joined CDA as a town planner in 1988 in BPS-17 and in 2004 he was promoted to deputy director in BPS-18, despite the fact that he was ninth on seniority list.
He maintained that dozens of other employees, who deserved to be promoted, were thus neglected.
Ahmed argued that on July 7, 2006, Sandhu was posted as director planning, even though the Lahore High Court had suspended the recruitment process. In June 2007, CDA created a new post of director housing societies to facilitate Sandhu without advertising the post, and completed the entire process in one day.
Similarly, in 2009, Sandhu was posted as Deputy Director Planning. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the entire process was based on mala fide intentions, non-transparent and illegal and thus Sandhu’s appointment be declared null and void.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2013.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday declared Ghulam Sarwar Sandhu’s appointment as Deputy Director General Planning, Capital Development Authority (CDA) illegal.
Sandhu was also holding the post of director housing societies in the authority. The decision came in response to a petition filed by former CDA official Muhammad Qasim, who had challenged Sandhu’s appointment citing a lack of ‘competitive process’ during his hiring.
In July 2011, Sandhu was arrested from the courtroom and sent to Adiala Jail for a day for his contemptuous attitude during court proceedings. Numerous controversies surround the official, from facilitating private housing societies and the questionable Diplomatic Shuttle Service contract.
Hafiz Arafat Ahmed, the counsel for the petitioner, informed Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi that Sandhu had joined CDA as a town planner in 1988 in BPS-17 and in 2004 he was promoted to deputy director in BPS-18, despite the fact that he was ninth on seniority list.
He maintained that dozens of other employees, who deserved to be promoted, were thus neglected.
Ahmed argued that on July 7, 2006, Sandhu was posted as director planning, even though the Lahore High Court had suspended the recruitment process. In June 2007, CDA created a new post of director housing societies to facilitate Sandhu without advertising the post, and completed the entire process in one day.
Similarly, in 2009, Sandhu was posted as Deputy Director Planning. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the entire process was based on mala fide intentions, non-transparent and illegal and thus Sandhu’s appointment be declared null and void.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2013.