KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has restrained the search committee from finalising names for the post of vice chancellor of Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (Fuuast) till Nov 5.

The two-judge bench headed by Justice Adnan-ul-Karim Memon issued notices to Fuuast through its registrar, convener and members of the search committee and other respondents as well as the deputy attorney general for the next hearing.

Dr Muhammad Zia-ud-din, dean of arts faculty of Fuuast, through his lawyer moved the SHC, seeking direction for the search committee to assess his candidature for the post.

Petitioner’s lawyer Bilawal Hussain advocate contended that the petitioner was eligible and qualified for the post, but his candidature had been declined without calling him for an interview.

He argued that his client had been discriminated against by the search committee without hearing him as provided under Article 10-A of the Constitution while the respondents were also bound to comply with the requirements of Section 24-A of General Clause Act, 1897.

The counsel alleged that the search committee had been indulging in malpractice by calling upon their favourite candidates for the post in question to defeat the very purpose of the advertisement for the position published on Sept 17.

He further maintained that the acting vice chancellor was carrying out activities against the law and mandate of the constitution. He asserted that since the blue-eyed candidates were made to qualify for the post in disregard of the provision of Fuuast Ordinance 2002, the petitioner had impugned the entire process of recruitments.

The lawyer sought a restraining order against the search committee from conducting interviews for the post in question which were scheduled to be commenced from Oct 21 to Oct 24.

The bench observed: “To appreciate the aforesaid factum of the case, let notice be issued to respondents as well as the learned DAG for 05.11.2020. In the meanwhile, the respondent-search committee shall not finalise the names for the position of ... vice-chancellor.”

Notice issued on plea of NHMP employees

A SHC divisional bench headed by Justice Nadeem Akhtar issued notices to the federal ministries of finance and communication and the inspector general of the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) on a petition filed against reduction in salaries and withdrawal of allowances of its employees.

The NHMP employees petitioned the SHC, contending that all of them had been drawing salaries and subsequent allowances, comprising of one equal to a basic pay and the daily allowance for 20 days a month, in the light of a summary sanctioned by the then prime minister in 1997.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2020