April 17, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 10, 1429

KARACHI, April 16: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday allowed the provincial government two weeks to file comments on a petition alleging large-scale appointments in violation of merit, particularly in the education department, during the chief ministership of Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and the caretaker regime.

Former education officer Gul Muhammad Hajano has implicated 144 departmental heads and secretaries and district co-ordination officers in irregular recruitments. He contended that while candidates selected on merit were ignored, favourites were inducted without observing procedural requirements and in relaxation of rules even during a ban on recruitment.

Eighteen of the respondents, who were served notices, appeared before a division bench consisting of Justices Mrs Qaiser Iqbal and Mahmood Alam Rizvi on Wednesday. An additional advocate-general sought two weeks to submit comments on the petition. Granting the request, the bench adjourned the hearing until after receipt of comments.

Probe into appointment

The bench asked the district co-ordination officer of Khairpur to look into the appointment of Mst Latifan Chanar as teacher for physically handicapped students. A petition was moved by Kausar Ali Khaskheli saying that while he was rejected as a candidate, Mst Latifan was given the job, though she held the domicile of another district.

Assisting the court, Additional Advocate-General Farid Ahmed Dayo submitted that the teaching of the handicapped children required special additional qualification and a qualified person from outside the district could be hired if a suitable candidate was not available in a district. The petitioner lacked the necessary qualification.Following a query by the bench whether the respondent teacher, Mst Latifan, possessed the requisite special qualification, it transpired that the successful candidate also was unqualified. The bench asked the DCO to hold an inquiry into her appointment and appoint a qualified teacher so that the education of the handicapped did not suffer.

The bench disposed of a petition moved by inspector Mohammad Ali Beg and nine other police officials for service abroad with a United Nations peace mission. AAG Farid Dayo informed the bench that the petitioners were ‘repeaters’ who have already served abroad on the staff of a peace mission. According to the government policy, one year must elapse between their return home and fresh posting abroad before they could be sent again. The bench dismissed the petition as withdrawn at the request of the petitioners’ counsel, Advocate Shaukat Hayat.

Recovery stayed

Another division bench stayed the recovery of additional amount from purchaser of a 600-square-yard plot in Gulistan-i-Jauhar (Scheme 36). The purchaser, retired Aga Khan University professor Anwar Wiqar, submitted that he purchased the plot from the original allottee, Hafeezur Rehman, who had paid the full and final price at the rate of Rs250 per square yard. The city district government has now issued a notice for additional payment of Rs462,000 towards the price in violation of the law and his vested right as a purchaser. The bench issued notices to the respondent CDG for May 13 and stayed the recovery of the extra sum till that date.