ISLAMABAD: A senior official of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) challenged the orders of a parliamentary committee regarding his removal in court.

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat in its recent meeting on January 19 directed the CDA management to remove Syed Mustafain Kazmi from the office of Member Environment.

Mr Kazmi’s lawyer, Hafiz Arafaat Ahmed, adopted before the court that the provisions of law make it abundantly clear that the standing committee can only deal with subjects assigned to the CDA and not with service-related matters of staff.

He argued that the Standing Committee on the Cabinet Secretariat has blatantly violated the procedure laid down, by encroaching upon the CDA’s domain. He said the administrative matters concerning appointment or promotions of employees is the sole prerogative of the CDA.

He informed the court that the direction issued by the standing committee has so far not been implemented by the authority with a valid justification that the petitioner is fulfilling his responsibilities well.

He pointed out that the term of majority of standing committee members is set to expire in the month of February 2015 and the Senate election is scheduled to be held on March 3. He said therefore the outgoing members do not have mandate to direct a statutory body to remove or appoint a particular individual to a vacancy.

The counsel requested the court to declare the direction of the standing committee against the petitioner as illegal.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2015

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