KARACHI, Aug 7: The Federal Service Tribunal on Thursday ordered the expunction of adverse remarks made by the National Book Foundation managing director against its deputy director (sales) posted in Karachi.

An FST bench observed that the remarks made by the MD as counter-signing authority in the performance evaluation or annual confidential reports of Mrs Irshad Abbasi, DD, overruled the favourable remarks made by the immediate reporting officer without assigning any reason. The reporting officer was better placed to evaluate her work. The counter-signing authority must state reasons for ignoring the reporting officer’s opinion.

The tribunal also observed that the adverse entries pertained to three different periods but were all communicated together by a single communication. The officer was never cautioned or warned of the allegations against her nor furnished copies of the ACRs. The reports contained such adverse observations as ‘not trustworthy’, ‘unreliable’, ‘habitual late-comer’ and ‘very regular in irregularities’.

It noted that she worked at Islamabad only for a while and remained on leave most of the time and the period was hardly sufficient to assess her work. Condoning the delay in filing the appeal, the tribunal said the departmental authorities slept over her representation. Allowing the appeal, it quashed the impugned remarks.

The FST bench consisted of Akbar M. Memon and Barkat Ali Baloch. Advocate Nawaz Shaikh appeared for the appellant.