KARACHI: Status quo in SSGC employees plea ordered
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 31: A division bench of Sindh High Court on Wednesday maintained status quo on 10 identical petitions filed by more than 600 employees of the Sui Southern Gas Company, challenging the management decision of making the IBA tests mandatory.
The bench comprised Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Ali Aslam Jafferi.
The petitioners had prayed to the court to order the management to restrain from assessing their suitability through an IBA test and for directing the respondent to comply with the orders of the Federal Services Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
Former Senate Chairman Wasim Sajjad argued on behalf of the petitioners after which the hearing was adjourned till Nov 19 when other counsel would argue.
The petitioners were appointed trainees in 1994-95, but after completion of training, their services were terminated with a change of the government in 1996.
They petitioners filed appeals in the Federal Service Tribunal which set aside all termination orders on April 13 in view of case of Engineer Narain Das and others as decided by the SC on Feb 2.
On June 12, the SSGC issued a letter to all the petitioners for an appearance in an aptitude test to be conducted by the IBA for their fitness and suitability for permanent employment.
The petitioner prayed to the court to ask the gas company to comply with the judgment of the Supreme Court and the FST. They also prayed that the court declares the act done by respondents as without lawful authority and of no legal effect and liable to be quashed.
SENTENCE MODIFIED: An appellate bench of the SHC modified the sentence awarded to an activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement by an STA court.
Muhammad Naim alias Khaoo had challenged the conviction awarded by the Suppression of Terrorist Activities Court-Karachi on Nov 16.
The bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Muhammad Ashraf Leghari, reduced his four-year sentence to three years and remitted fine of Rs5,000.
Mehmood Alam Rizvi appeared for the appellant while Habib Ahmed represented the state.
The accused, along with Muhammad Alim, was sentenced under 13- D of the Arms Ordinance Act and had imposed a fine of Rs5,000. The accused was arrested on April 5, 1999, while standing in a suspicious manner inside Jalal Shah Graveyard, Old Dhobighat by a police party.
When the matter came up for hearing, counsel for the appellant did not press the appeal but requested the court to reduce the sentence and fine.
The bench modified the sentence to a three-year term (already served) and also remitted the amount of fine of Rs5,000.
