Breach of rules: Port Qasim Authority officials summoned by SC

Amin Fahim’s brother-in-law was directly appointed in PQA as a Grade 18 officer.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has summoned Mahmood Zameer Ahmed Farooqi, commerce minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim’s brother-in-law, to appear before the court in person to explain how he was directly appointed in Port Qasim Authority (PQA) as a Grade 18 officer in violation of the rules of business.

The apex court has also summoned the secretary PQA on January 11 while conducting the proceedings of the case filed by Abdul Jabbar Memon, the dysfunctional secretary of PQA, who had challenged Farooqi’s appointment.

The court directed the Inspector General of Police, Sindh in its interim order to make necessary arrangements for Memon and his family’s security when he informed the court that they have been receiving death threats.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Javed Iqbal had directed the secretary Ministry of Ports and Shipping, to submit the service record of employees in the ministry from Grade 1 to 20 in last three years on December 21.

Memon pleaded before the court that Farooqi’s appointment is a classic example of nepotism because he was not selected on merit for a two-year term whereas he (Memon) was illegally removed from service which was unjust and a negation of his fundamental rights.

On the directions of the Supreme Court, Memon will be filling additional documentary evidence in support of his petition.

Memon contends that Farooqi has never served as an officer in the federal or provincial government in his entire life. He has therefore challenged the decision taken by the Minister of Ports and Shipping, Babar Khan Ghauri, who issued the notification for his appointment in PQA as a deputy secretary in Grade 18.

According to the Port Qasim Authority Act of 1973, the Chairman PQA and not the minister is the competent authority for confirming appointments from BPS-1 to BPS-18 in the PQA.

Memon has also claimed that Farooqi submitted his curriculum vitae to the Prime Minster through a summary floated by the Ministry of Ports and Shipping with Ghauri’s approval regarding Farooqi’s appointment on the basis of a letter issued to Farooqi by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) on December 3, 1999.

Memon said that Farooqi had never served in the Intelligence Bureau as an Assistant Director. The IB had him only for a one-year retainership in its letter. He was not employed in regular service.

His case was approved by the ministry of ports and shipping and was directly appointed in PQA with the Prime Minster’s approval without bringing his status in the premier’s knowledge.

Farooqi was first appointed as a deputy secretary in Grade 18 and has now been promoted to Grade 19 as manager anti-encroachment cell, PQA.

Farooqi submitted a provisional certificate for his MBA that he obtained from New Port University, USA’s camp office in Karachi in 1996 without having it verified from the Higher Education Commission, Memon informed the court.

He said that PQA’s counsel, Sanaullah Ghauri, admitted in the Sindh High Court that Farooqi was appointed in the authority for a period of two years on contract by the prime minister and as a subordinate office, the prime minster’s order was implemented.

He had also conceded that the prime minster only appoints people in Grade 20 and above and in this case the chairman PQA was the competent authority for appointment in BPS-1 to BPS-20.

The Supreme Court has fixed January 11 for hearing the case and issued notices to the respondents to appear in person.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2010.