Razmak Cadet College: Employees plead court to take up contempt petition

At least 132 people say institute never mobilised on court’s previous order.

ISLAMABAD: Over 100 employees of the Razmak Cadet College in North Waziristan have taken a contempt petition to the Islamabad High Court, arguing that some government officials are defying court orders in connection with paying pensions to former college employees.

Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi will take up the case today (Thursday).

The FATA Secretariat and SAFRON secretaries and the principal secretary to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government have been made respondents in the petition.

A total 132 people filed a contempt petition through their counsel, Mir Aurangzaib, saying that the previous petition was disposed of on November 26, 2014 with directions to the respondents to expedite the matter regarding the final concurrence of the federal government, but nothing concrete has been done matter so far.

It was also directed that a report be submitted to the deputy registrar of the court within a period of one month, argued the petitioners.

By not complying with the court’s order, a grave intentional and deliberate violation has been committed by the respondents and they are liable to be proceeded against for contempt of court, Auranzaib said.

The respondents were approached and requested to act on the direction, but they refused to see reasons, read the contempt plea, adding that the respondents are adamant to defy the court order and should be dealt with according to law.

“The demand for pensions for employees of Razmak Cadet College is genuine as with other departments of the same nature,” Aurangzaib added.

The institute include National Institute of Electronics (NIE) Islamabad, Islamabad Model Schools and Colleges, Pakistan Medical Research Council Islamabad, NHA, Employees of Afghan Refugee Organisation and Lady Health Workers, who have been given the right to pensions and gratuity on retirement because they were financed by the federal government, stated the petition.

“Pension is the only means and glimmer of hope for leading a peaceful life and to support a person in old age,” maintained the petitioners.

The college is the only successful educational institute in FATA that has produced thousands of officers who are serving in various departments, but despite rendering 24-hour service, loyalty, efficiency, devotion and dedication, the employees are deprived of pension, while employees of other institutions are getting the same benefits after retirement, they said.

The college was established on December 27, 1977, but the contributory provident (CP) fund scheme rules for employees were only approved by the federal government in 1992.

The CP fund scheme was introduced for employees of the K-P government, but was recently changed into the GP fund and pension scheme, they maintained. Respondents are not treating the petitioners in accordance with the law and are violating articles 4 and 25 of the Constitution, they added.

It was prayed that the CP fund should be converted into a general provident (GP) fund scheme and to provide time scale and extra duty allowance as the petitioners are entitled to implementation of time scale formula and extra duty allowances.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2015.