SP challenges Sindh govt authority

SHC orders parties to maintain status quo in respect of police superintendent’s repatriation.

KARACHI: A policeman has gone to court to challenge the Sindh government’s authority to send him back to the federal government.

SP Abdul Hadi Bullo was appointed as a section officer of grade, BS-17, in the office management group on July 18, 1992, after he qualified the federal public service commission exam, according to his lawyer MM Aqil Awan.

Hadi’s appointment as SP in the Police Service of Pakistan has been made under rule seven of the 1985 rules and a formal official notification was also issued on October 25, 2011, the lawyer said. “Ever since, he has been serving in the federal government,” he said. However, he was repatriated by the Sindh government through a notification issued on July 2, this year, claimed Awan, arguing that only the federal government, and not the provincial government, is the competent authority to order such repatriation. In the petition, Bullo cited the provincial chief secretary and the establishment division secretary as respondents.

On Tuesday’s hearing, the Sindh High Court ordered the provincial and federal governments to maintain status quo for this police superintendent’s repatriation till October 10. Justice Faisal Arab, who headed the bench, passed the temporary stay order.

It may be noted here that the provincial government had cancelled deputations, absorptions, and out-of-turn promotions of dozens of officers, in the provincial government departments. All of them have been either demoted to their original ranks or repatriated to their parent departments. SP Bullo claimed, however, that his repatriation is illegal.

The bench issued notices to respondents to file their comments by October 9.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2013.