Controversial extension: IHC hears auditor general’s case today

Akhtar Buland Rana claims govt illegally extended service of CGA Farah Ayub Tarin.

ISLAMABAD:


The Islamabad High Court (IHC) will take up the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) Akhtar Buland Rana’s petition challenging the extension in service of Controller General of Accounts Farah Ayub Tarin.


The petitioner has challenged a federal government notification, issued on August 13, by virtue of which Tarin, who was to retire on August 13 owing to superannuation, has been granted an extension in service.

The petitioner adopted before the court that there is no provision in the law to grant an extension post-retirement and the extension notification may be set aside.

Last month, AGP Rana had filed a petition claiming that his constitutional mandate has been stolen by placing the department of CGA from his administrative control to the control of finance ministry, along with all officers working in it.

He had further alleged that the finance minister and secretary finance division wanted to post Tarin as the new AGP after removing the petitioner.


Rana had expressed apprehension that the respondents were planning to either book the petitioner in some false and bogus case or to assassinate him as imprisonment or death is the only way for appointing Tarin as the new AGP.

On July 8, a single member bench had issued a restraining order in favour of the AGP in which the court had directed the federal government not to intervene in the authority of the AGP.

CDA approaches court

In another matter, eight deputy directors of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) have approached IHC against the promotions of junior officers.

Deputy director Muhammad Asghar Zardari and other petitioners contended in the petition that they have been working in CDA since 1996 and were promoted as deputy directors in 2012.

The petition alleges that the authority has promoted juniors in grade-19 and appointed them as directors in various directorates in violation of the principle of seniority.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2014.
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