ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday summoned Aviation Division Secretary Hasan Nasir Jami for keeping the key position of director general (DG) of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) vacant for several months.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah asked Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan to assist the court in the matter at the next hearing on Nov 24.

The court was hearing a petition filed by a pilot sacked over alleged fake degree.

Justice Minallah observed that due to incompetence of relevant government authorities, the important position of the CAA DG was lying vacant.

The deputy attorney general told the court about the efforts being made to headhunt a suitable person for the post of CAA chief. However, Justice Minallah termed the government’s response unsatisfactory.

“It is a matter of serious concerns that this significant post has remained vacant for several months,” remarked the chief justice.

The official has acting charge of the post as recruitment process has hit snags

Justice Minallah also sought reply from the aviation division secretary for having acting charge of CAA DG for several months.

A candidate for the post of CAA DG, Imran Aslam, has filed a petition against running the CAA by an acting director general.

The petitioner was among the short-listed candidates for the office, who were interviewed but the authority halted the process and started the process afresh.

Mr Aslam was one of the 18 short-listed candidates out of total 599 applicants.

As per a report of the CAA, applications were sought for the post of DG through advertisements in national daily newspapers on July 4 and 5. As many as 599 applications were received for the post.

Earlier also, the post of CAA DG was advertised on March 13, 2018, but the appointment process was challenged by a CAA employee in the Lahore High Court. That case was decided in July 2019.

The post was advertised again on Nov 20, 2019, but the process was challenged once more.

According to the petitioner, the government wants to hire a blue-eyed person for this lucrative position. Therefore, the process has been scrapped and the aviation division secretary has managed to obtain approval from the cabinet division to start the recruitment process afresh.

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2020