Stop that: SHC stays appointments on six university posts

The govt had advertised for the positions even though they were not vacant.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) restrained the provincial government on Friday from finalising fresh appointments on six posts of registrar, examination controller and finance director in four public-sector universities.

The division bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Shahnawaz Tariq, issued notices to the provincial chief secretary, the principal secretary to the governor and the chief minister's secretary for the universities and boards to submit their comments by June 4.



A group of six petitioners, who are currently performing their duties as registrar, controller examinations and directors finance at four different public sector universities - the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) in Jamshoro, the Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology (QAUEST) and the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University (SBBU) in Nawabshah and the NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi - had gone to court against the advertisement on May 25 for fresh appointments on their posts.

Their lawyer, Zamir Ghumro, said that the petitioners were appointed after a thorough legal process and the respondents have advertised for positions that are not vacant. The lawyer argued that his clients have been appointed and promoted in a legal manner and are eligible to hold the positions under the law. The respondents can only advertise posts that are vacant and appointments against the posts of the petitioners will render them jobless, he added.

Ghumro said the advertisement is against academic freedom and the positions are not available to be filled and that the advertisement is the equivalent of the petitioners' termination. The bench issued notice to the respondents to file their comments by June 4. Meanwhile, the judges ordered that the appointments shall not be finalised against the positions held by the petitioners.

Petitioner Sohail Ahmed is currently working as the controller examinations in Basic Pay Scale (BPS)-20 at the MUET. Petitioner Munir Ahmed Shaikh is in the finance director on BPS-20 at the MUET. Petitioner Fazal Ali Shaikh is working as the finance director in BPS-20 at the QAUEST. Petitioner Roshan Ali Siyal is working as the finance director in BPS-20 at SBBU. Petitioner Muhammad Sajeeruddin is in the finance director on BPS-20 at the NED university. Petitioner Tauha Hussain Ali is the registrar at the MUET in BPS-21.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2014.