KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday directed the provincial government to de-notify the managing director of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and fill the post after completing all codal formalities within two weeks.
A two-judge bench headed by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar observed that unfortunately, the Sindh chief secretary did not act in the light of the judgement of the apex court about the appointment and posting of civil servants.
It further said that the chief secretary had also not honoured a policy decision taken by the chief minister on a summary floated by local government secretary in November 2021 and appointed Asadullah Khan, through a notification issued last month, as KWSB MD on a regular basis.
“This is the unfortunate state of affairs on his part,” the bench said while disposing of two petitions filed by a senior KWSB officer challenging the appointment of MD on Own Pay Scale (OPS) and additional charge basis.
The bench in its order stated that as per a provincial law officer, the posts of MD, deputy MD (finance) and KWSB secretary had been “de-cadred” with the approval of the chief minister.
When the bench confronted the law officer about appointments on such posts through a competitive process, he conceded that the posts would be filled through a competitive process and not otherwise. He sought time to issue a public notice for such appointments.
The SHC observed that it was only concerned about the enforcement of the apex court’s order on the subject issue and at the same time the court was cognizant of the policy decision of Sindh government to fill the posts through a competitive process.
The bench directed the chief secretary to make appointment against the post of MD after observing all codal formalities in two weeks.
“However, it is made clear that in the intervening period no adhoc arrangement shall be made, as far as the posting of MD, deputy MD (finance) (BS-20) and secretary (BS-20) is concerned, in violation of the provisions of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Act, 1996 and policy decision of the competent authority i.e. Chief Minister Sindh vide summary dated 11.11.2021 floated by the secretary, local government and housing town planning department”, it concluded.
Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2022
