ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday stopped the ministry of housing and works from sending an officer on a senior management course, who was expecting promotion to BS-22.

Zohair Khaliq was selected for the course in February 2015 but the ministry dropped his name saying that since he was the senior most officer of the Public Works Department (PWD), therefore, he might be appointed as director general PWD after the retirement of the then DG Ataul Haq.

However, after the retirement of Haq, the competent authority appointed a 65-year-old retired officer Ali Akbar Sheikh and the Central Selection Board constituted last year did not consider him for promotion on the grounds that he has not attended the senior management course.

When the officer filed a petition in the IHC earlier this year, the housing ministry approved Khaliq’s name for the said course in February.

Khaliq, through his counsel Inamur Rahim, adopted before IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz that the course would complete in July this year and he would retire in August.

According to him, the course will cost the government Rs840,000 and since he would retire in August therefore sending him on this course would be useless and a mere wastage of government funds.

He requested the court to suspend inclusion of his name in the course and direct the authorities to give him the charge of DG PWD till his retirement.

The IHC Justice Siddiqui issued notices to the ministry of housing and works and DG PWD and adjourned the hearing till a date to be fixed by the registrar office.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2017