High court sacks FDE chief, again

Also seeks reply on MLC chief’s appointment.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday dismissed a petition filed by the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) director general (DG), who had challenged her transfer orders last month.

While rejecting Dr Shehnaz Riaz’s petition, Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi, noted that Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) secretary is the competent authority and could transfer the petitioner.

On May 9, the same bench had suspended her transfer orders and sought replies from CADD and the Establishment Division.

CADD, which oversees FDE affairs, booted Riaz earlier this year and directed her to report to the ministry after she was found guilty of misuse of power and irregularities under her watch in funds for evening shifts in schools.

She later challenged her transfer orders, with her counsel claiming CADD is not the competent authority for issuance of her client’s transfer orders and authority lies with the prime minister of Pakistan. CADD told the court that ordering Riaz’s transfer was within the powers of the secretary.

Riaz was appointed as FDE chief in May 2012. The directorate looks after around 423 schools and colleges in Islamabad Capital Territory.

On April 7, the apex court had rejected a request by Riaz to cancel her transfer order and fined her Rs10,000 for filing a frivolous case. She had maintained that she was being transferred out of the FDE in violation of a court verdict from 2012, when she was previously reinstated.

MLC chief’s appointment challenged

The IHC also sought replies from top officials hearing a petition challenging the appointment of Major General Mazhar Saleem Khan as Military Land and Cantonment (MLC) DG.

Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed Khan and the defense and establishment secretaries to submit replies in the first week of July. The court was hearing a petition filed by 48 officers who had stated that the appointment usurped the rights of the service group.

The petitioners, through their counsel Asma Jehangir, maintained that the post is the pinnacle of promotion for officers of the department and it has been usurped by a deputationist.

The counsel contended that the appointment of General Khan is against the provisions of the Cantonment Act. She argued that the Cantonment Land Administration Rules are in contravention of the Civil Servants Act and constitute a breach of the constitution.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2014.