KARACHI, Dec 12: The Sindh High Court allowed on Tuesday a petition moved by senior auditors of the sales tax department for promotion to grade 17 on a par with other grade 16 employees of the department.
The petitioners submitted through Advocate Mohammad Farogh Nasim that while the superintendents, appraisers, inspectors, stenographers and others serving in grade 16 posts in the department were entitled to promotion to grade 17 as assistant collectors, they had no right to be considered for the 25 per cent vacancies filled by departmental promotions.
They officiated as grade 17 officers and also exercised adjudicatory powers but when it came to permanent appointment as assistant collectors, they were not treated at par with their colleagues. The bar amounted to ‘hostile discrimination’ and contravened Article 25 of the Constitution.
The respondent department failed to file its comments and bench consisting of Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed and Justice Faisal Arab accepted the auditors’ plea.
BAIL CONFIRMED: Justice Amir Hani Muslim confirmed the interim bail granted to two persons accused of fabricating a court decree.
Representing the applicants, Advocate Fareed A. Dayo contended that the decree, copies of which were alleged to have been forged by the accused, was announced by a senior civil judge of district South but for one reason or another the court disowned its order.
The entire case against them was based on documentary evidence and they had not abused the concession of interim bail.
Observing that the matter required further inquiry, the judge made it clear that the trial court shall proceed on the basis of material available before it.
The observations made by him or the inquiry officer, district and session judge (South), shall not influence the trial, he remarked.
