ISLAMABAD: Almost all the ancillary departments of the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) have started the process to repatriate officials working with them on deputation to their parent departments.

But around 22 deputationists working at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) have intensified their efforts to stay in the federal capital.

Pims Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram said every employee had the right to approach the court to get justice but as the repatriation orders had been issued by the Supreme Court, the ministry of CADD would implement it.

Vice chancellor says a committee will formulate a list of doctors for repatriation

The issue of deputationists and inductions of employees started in Sindh during the previous PPP government. Some police officials approached the Sindh High Court against the induction of officials in the police from other departments, saying it had affected their seniority.

Later, the matter reached the Supreme Court which directed all the officials who had joined the police after 1994 to go back to their parent departments.

Four months ago, the matter once again came into the limelight when the apex court asked the Capital Development Authority (CDA) if it had the power to absorb officials working with it on deputation. As a result, the CDA decided to send back all the officers working in the civic agency on deputation.

Similarly, the National Assembly also started the process to send the inducted employees back. Moreover, the capital police, the national food security and other departments have also started repatriating such officers.

The Pims management has established a committee, headed by Dr Iqbal Memon, to finalise a list of doctors who would be repatriated.

However, Joint Executive Director Children’s Hospital, Dr Raja Amjad Mahmood, filed an application with the committee, stating that his absorption had been endorsed by the court so he cannot be repatriated. He said any action against him would be contempt of the court.

Pims Director OPD, Dr Mutahir Shah, in his letter to the committee stated that he was absorbed as per the orders of the prime minister in 2005.

He said in March 2016, he was appointed the inquiry officer in the Polyclinic gas purchase scam. He said the inquiry report was yet to be presented to the court and he should not be repatriated.

A doctor requesting anonymity told Dawn that he and others had a meeting with the joint secretary CADD during which the official said repatriation was for the provincial employees and those who were employees of the ministry of health and had joined Pims before the devolution would not be affected.

Another doctor said they came to Islamabad many years ago and had not only purchased houses in the capital but also become used to living in the capital.

“We don’t have any relatives in our native cities and our children are studying in the federal capital. So we will prefer quitting the jobs instead of going back to our provinces. Our problems should be considered before taking any decision,” he said.

Dr Akram told Dawn that four doctors had already been repatriated to the CDA and KP while the repatriation of another 22 doctors to their parent organisations was under process.

“There are also legal experts in the committee which is examining the cases of doctors. Hopefully, all the rules will be followed while repatriating the doctors. I have directed the committee to give every person a fair chance of presenting their point of view. Moreover, the committee members can also contact the court in case of any confusion,” he said.

“The final list will be sent to CADD very soon to implement the orders of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2016