Out-of-turn promotion?: SHC repeats notice for comments on Shahid Hayat’s appointment

Officials allege the appointment of the provincial police chief violated service rules and regulations.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has once again directed the provincial chief secretary, Sindh IGP and others to file comments on a plea challenging the appointment of the new city police chief, AIG Shahid Hayat.

Senior police officers, including the DIG AD Khawaja, AIG Bashir Memon, DIG Sanaullah Abbasi, DIG Azhar Rashid and Crime Investigation Department DIG Dr Ameer Ahmed Shaikh had questioned the appointment of Hayat on the senior post, claiming that it was in violation of service rules and regulations.

Hayat took over as the city’s police chief on September 12, almost a week after law enforcement agencies launched an operation against criminals. Several political parties criticised his appointment because of his controversial role in the 1990s operation and his involvement in the Murtaza Bhutto murder case.



The petitioners said that Hayat had been working as DIG Police (Special Branch) prior to his transfer, which was effected through a notification issued by the chief secretary. The chief secretary, while appointing the police chief, had ignored senior and more experienced police officers working in grade-20 and grade-21, they claimed.

According to the petitioners, the AIG has yet to pass the Staff College course - a legal requirement for promotion to grade 21 under the service rules. “Under the law, the appointment of a grade-21 police officer is to be made by the chief executive of the province, but in the present case the chief secretary has exercised the right,” he argued.

The court was, therefore, pleaded to set aside the official notification announcing Hayat’s appointment till the final disposal of the case. On Thursday, the bench took up the matter to see whether the appointment was made in accordance with the service rules and regulations or not. None of the respondents, including Hayat, had filed comments. The bench directed them to submit their replies by November 7 and adjourned the hearing.



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