HYDERABAD: A division bench of Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit comprising Abdul Mobeen Lakho and Arbab Ali Hakro has suspended the October 7 action by the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) placing a newly-promoted senior officer under suspension ahead of his superannuation.

Petitioner Riaz Pathan’s counsel Advocate Ishrat Lohar submitted in court that his client was on LPR (leave preparatory to retirement) and is to retire on October 12. He said his client had in his earlier petition (26/2025) had prayed for his promotion as general manager. The petition was withdrawn on Aug 15 on Hesco management’s assurance vide a July 30, 2025 letter and the petitioner was elevated to the post of GM on October 3.

The counsel informed the court that the petitioner submitted his joining report on October 6 but he was again placed under suspension on October 7 on account of ‘misconduct’.

The petitioner has cited Hesco chief executive officer and director general human resource & administration as respondents. The court issued notices to the respondents.

The petitioner submitted in court that he was promoted as superintending engineer on July 11, 2019 and then he was considered for promotion as chief engineer as per Hesco’s promotion policy. Accordingly, he was promoted on May 1, 2022.

He said that Hesco considered cases of chief engineers for the post of general manager (BS-21) through a selection board meeting held on Dec 28, 2022 where he was also called but the meeting was cancelled. Then in 2023, he was not considered for the GM’s post but Sarfaraz Ahmed Khan was considered for the same.

He said after Mr Khan’s retirement, two candidates were in the queue for promotion. He added that he met the post’s criteria later on but due to mala fide intention the respondents did not considered him. He stated that the selection board considered him and Mohammad Roshan Otho as eligible for promotion as GM. He said while the petitioner’s case was considered subject to relaxation of Rule-4, Mr Otho was considered fit although the latter was facing an inquiry. He that the Rule 4 was about Performance Management Policy 2022. He added that the selection board kept its eyes closed about the FIA inquiry against Mr Otho.

He stated that he had already availed LPR through Nov 15, 2024 order thus suspension order was malicious in nature. He prayed the court to set aside the Oct 7 suspension order.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2025