ISLAMABAD: Justice Babar Sattar of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sent packing Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) chairman Dr G. M. Ali as his term expired last year but was still holding the office on the basis of a notification issued by the Establishment Division with regard to his terms of service.

The court also declared the notification void and directed the federal government to appoint the new PARC chairman. PARC official Dr Nisar Ahmed Cheema had challenged his appointment.

Counsel for the petitioner contended that advertisement regarding appointment for the post of the PARC chairman was published in newspapers on Jan 18, 2022, wherein it was categorically mentioned that the post will fall under MP-I scale and the tenure will be two years.

He argued that the period of appointment/contract of Dr G. M. Ali expired on July 28 last year but in the meanwhile clarification has been issued by the Cabinet Secretariat, Establishment Division, wherein it is mentioned that since the terms and conditions of MP Scale Policy 2020 have been adopted for the post of the PARC chairman, therefore, the tenure of chairman’s appointment may be deemed as three years.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2025