Death of merit: SECP secretary to file report in a case

Job applicant claims the commission discriminated against him.

PESHAWAR: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) secretary to submit a report on the refusal of a candidate who claims to fulfil the criteria of four posts in the said department. The bench was hearing the case in SC Peshawar Registry branch.

Javed Akhtar informed Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Nasirul Mulk, Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Gulzar Ahmad that he applied for the position of director in the SECP chairman’s office as well as three other posts following a job advertisement.

Akhtar added he fulfilled the educational and professional criteria for the positions he applied for, but was still rejected. The reason given by the department was his being unable to satisfy the requirements outlined in the advertisement.

“I have an MBA degree in finance and have 11 years experience at an insurance company,” said Akhtar. “The SECP has disregarded merit and discriminated against me,” he told the court.

The high court had dismissed his petition which is why he approached the Supreme Court for justice, said Akhtar.

The SECP is a regulatory body which liaises with the corporate sector to create transparency and efficiency. Over time its mandate has expanded to include supervision and regulation of insurance companies, non-banking finance companies and private pension schemes.

After hearing the arguments, the court directed the SECP secretary to file a comprehensive report regarding the claim.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2014.