Delayed appointment: IHC summons PM’s principal secretary

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned the prime minister’s principal secretary in a case related to foreign postings, where an officer was denied an overseas posting.

Justice Noorul Haq N Qureshi remarked that the court was ready to hear him in the principal secretary chambers if he felt “embarrassment”  appearing in court.

The petitioner, Aslam Chaudhry, a grade-19 Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service officer, maintained that he had applied for the post of a trade officer in Pakistan’s foreign missions in 2013, but could not avail the opportunity on account of his mother’s ailment and requested the authorities to delay his posting.

He told the court that instead of rescheduling his posting, the authorities dropped his name and sent another officer in his place. Chaudhry requested the court to direct the government to post him abroad.

“If I send my views in recorded form, it will be disastrous for many,” Justice Qureshi said, adding that he has observed that the original file had been tampered.

“I can spare a few things, but not everything,” the judge said, noting that, “Page 51 does not directly follow 49”.

On November 27, 2014, the IHC directed the federal government to adjust the petitioner against one of the vacant posts, but the commerce ministry failed to post him abroad, prompting him to file a contempt petition.

While declining the standing counsel’s request to return the file, Justice Qureshi specifically directed his office to put the file in his drawer. “Personal vendettas should be kept aside,” the judge remarked, adding that “things will be difficult if I fixed responsibility”.

The bench advised the standing counsel to make it clear to the officials that they should present a summary and appear before the court in the next of hearing.

On April 15, the court expressed dissatisfaction with a report submitted on behalf the prime minister’s principal secretary.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2015.