ISLAMABAD, Nov 5: The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to hear appeals of the Sui Southern Gas Company against the reinstatement orders issued by the Federal Service Tribunal for 281 trainees.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sheikh Riaz Ahmad granted leave to appeal after listening arguments from both sides.

Chaudhry Jameel represented the SSGC while the employees seeking confirmation of the FST decision were represented by Wasim Sajjad, Iftikhar Hussain Gillani and Abid Minto.

Mr Sajjad said there was nothing new in the case that could be used to reopen it and thus prolong the agony of a large number of qualified engineers and managers whose reinstatement had been ordered by the FST.

He said all the points that the SSGC lawyer had raised in his request had been given due consideration by the FST. He said it was wrong to suggest that the employees were thrust upon the SSGC by a political government as, he maintained, they were properly selected and put under training.

Barrister Jameel stated that the SSGC had retrenched the services of trainee engineers and managers who were recruited under pressure from the PPP government in 1996.

Later, when the government was dismissed on charges of corruption and mismanagement, the SSGC dispensed with their services.