ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Benefit once given to a government employee cannot be taken back, said a bench of Federal Service Tribunal on Thursday. The bench comprising Chaudhry Ilyas and Tariq Farook was hearing a petition filed by Shaukat Zaman against the National High Authority.

The petitioner was refused last payslip and ACR dossier by the NHA, where he served as assistant director from 1999-2004, on the pretext that he was supposed to be appointed in BPS-16, but worked on a BPS-17 position.

The NHA had also ordered recovery of Rs277,000 from the employee as the extra amount paid to him for working in a higher grade than he was supposed to.

Basing his arguments on a Supreme Court judgment, the petitioner’s counsel said if the department had done something wrong the employee could not be punished subsequently.

Counsel for the NHA informed the tribunal that the NHA authorities would like to review the matter and decide it within a week. The hearing was adjourned till February 13.