ISLAMABAD: The federal government has requested the Supreme Court to declare all the appointments and promotions in the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) made from 2007 to 2013 as illegal.
Hafiz SA Rehman Advocate has submitted a written reply in the apex court on behalf of the Federation regarding appointments and promotions in the PQA from 2007 to 2013. The Federation stated in its reply that as many as 891 staff and officers were either recruited or promoted illegally or unlawfully during the above mentioned period.
It also accepted that former Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Ghauri had violated provincial and regional quota during the appointments. The reply stated that according to instructions contained in the Estacode regarding appointments in BPS 20 and above in the statutory bodies, the competent authority is the prime minister.
Appointments in PQA in BPS 20 and above were not submitted for approval to the competent authority through Establishment Division as per instructions as well as PQA Service Regulations. Thus such appointments are also violative of rules.
It may be mentioned that during the previous hearing, the apex court had directed the Federation to submit reply regarding the appointments made during the tenure of previous government.
Meanwhile, the two-member bench, comprising Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, also heard a petition of PQA’s dysfunctional Secretary Abdul Jabbar Memon challenging his removal.
Deputy attorney general submitted government reply in pursuance of the court orders saying that a total of 85 persons were appointed illegally from grade17 to 21 in the Authority during the previous regime.
The reply further disclosed that all the 85 persons were appointed from mega city of Karachi whereas their educational qualification and experience was not up to the mark. Citing an example in its reply, the Federation told the court that experience certificate of an officer namely Nauman was sent to Ehsan Industries (pvt) Limited for verification which responded that no person with this name worked there.
The court asked the petitioner that he can submit reply in the matter and adjourned the hearing till December 19.
