January 26, 2008	Saturday	Muharram 16, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 25: A division bench of the Sindh High Court on Friday gave the provincial government one week to decide the case of 91 successful candidates for the posts of lecturers.

The candidates applied for the vacancies advertised by the Sindh Public Service Commission, which selected them out of hundreds of applicants. The candidates recommended by the SPSC were not, however, issued appointment letters and 49 of them approached the high court against the government inaction. The court passed an order on Sept 5, 2007, requiring the government to settle the matter within a month, failing which the petitioner candidates would be deemed to have been appointed.

The petitioners informed the court on Dec 13 that no action had been taken by the government to comply with its order. A division bench gave the government another 15 days. If no decision was taken by the government within the stipulated time, the Sept 5, 2007, order would come into operation. On the next date of hearing on January 16, 2008, the newly-appointed advocate-general, Dr Farogh Naseem, sought time to look into the matter and the hearing was adjourned to Jan 25.

As the petition came up before a division bench consisting of Justices Azizullah M. Memon and Arshad Noor Khan on Friday, the AG said he had considered the matter and submitted his opinion to the government. He has advised the authorities concerned to implement the court order and issue appointment letters. He sought a short adjournment to find out what action had been taken on his advice. The bench asked him to make a positive statement on Feb 1, when the petition would come up for hearing again.

Promotion order

Another division bench comprising Justices Mrs Qaiser Iqbal and Mahmood Alam Rizvi admitted to regular hearing a petition moved by an administrative officer in the fisheries department against withdrawal of his promotion/posting order.

Petitioner Mohammad Siddique Dahiri submitted through Advocate Mohammad Nawaz Shaikh that he was duly promoted from the post of stenographer on the recommendation of the departmental promotion committee on December 28, 2007. The post of administrative officer is a promotion post and could not be filled by direct recruitment or in any other manner. However, Manthar Ali, an assistant director of the defunct supplies department, was being appointed as administrative officer in his place. He said he could not be deprived of his vested right.

Admitting the petition, the bench ordered that status quo should be maintained till February 19, the next date of hearing.

Town nazim summoned

Another division bench consisting of Justices Munib Ahmed Khan and Syed Pir Ali Shah summoned Baldia Town Nazim Kamran Akhtar in a petition alleging withholding of funds of a union council.

Advocate Asmatullah Niazi submitted on behalf of the UC-6 (Baldia Town) nazim that the town nazim was not releasing funds to the UCs headed by rival parties. No development work could be undertaken in the UCs denied their share in the development funds. The bench had directed the town nazim to appear on Friday and asked the town police office to ensure the service of summons on him for the next date. The hearing was adjourned to Feb 13.

A division bench of the Sindh High Court comprising Justices Azizullah M. Memon and Arshad Noor Khan on Friday issued notices to the deputy attorney general and the director-general of Pakistan Rangers for Feb 6 in a constitution petition filed by Sharjeel Inam, a provincial assembly candidate from Tharparkar, adds APP.

The petitioner alleged in the petition that former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim is using government functionaries to harass him and death threats have been extended to him.

He sought security by police and Rangers and permission to hire armed private guards.

The bench said the petitioner is at liberty to hire private guards.

The same bench also put off a case of a missing person, Maulana Abdul Samad, to a date in office after the deputy attorney general stated that he has not received a notice of the petition.