KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has taken up a constitutional petition challenging the appointment of a Customs officer as Director General of the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA), formerly the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), an institution under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
The petition, filed on May 8, raises serious concerns over the legality of appointing a BS-19 officer to a BS-20 post, allegedly violating established rules, merit criteria, and previous court directives.
Filed through Advocate Rashid Mahar, the petition (C.P. No. D-1837 of 2025) contests the federal notification dated January 15, 2025, which appointed Tahir Abbas, a BS-19 officer from the Customs cadre, as Plant Protection Advisor and DG (BS-20) of NAFSA.
It argues that the appointment directly contradicts a Sindh High Court judgment dated April 9, 2024, which ruled in favor of seniority-based appointments for such high-ranking technical positions.
Taking note of the matter, the Sindh High Court granted urgency and issued notices to all respondents, including the Deputy Attorney General, for a detailed hearing scheduled on May 16, 2025. Notices are to be served through all available means except publication in newspapers.
At the heart of the petition lies the assertion that the appointee lacks the academic qualifications and professional experience required for the post. As per S.R.O. 1332(1)/2021, dated October 4, 2021, the position of DG (BS-20) mandates a B.Sc. (Hons) in Agriculture with specialization in Entomology, Plant Pathology, or Plant Protection, along with 17 years of relevant experience and at least seven research publications in HEC-recognized journals.
The petition further argues that the appointment violates Section 10 of the Civil Servants Act, 1973, as well as multiple court judgments, including one dated May 30, 2018, in which a similar appointment was nullified for lack of proper credentials and lawful authority.
