HYDERABAD, March 4: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, here on Thursday directed the Sindh additional advocate-general to seek comments from the health authorities on cancelling appointments of eight petitioners.

The court, comprising Justice Mohammad Moosa K. Leghari and Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, sought comments from the adviser to the Sindh chief minister on health, the health secretary and other officials on a petition, challenging the orders of the adviser.

Jhamatmal Jethanand, advocate, had filed a joint petition on behalf of the petitioners, Dr Aftab Azam, Dr Mushtaq Ahmed, Dr Bushra Naz, Mohammad Moosa, Ubaidullah, Shahla, Khabbar and Wazir Ali.

They stated that they were appointed as field officer, superintendent, accountant, steno typist and watchmen in the National Programme for Family Planning and Primary Health Care after passing tests and interviews and getting a physical fitness certificate form the civil surgeon of the health services department.

The petitioners said that after they joined the services, the health adviser, Noman Saigal, issued orders of cancelling their appointments. He held that the posts would be filled through a selection committee to be headed by him.

The petitioners said that under a directive by the adviser, the civil surgeon cancelled their fitness certificates. Their counsel contended in the petition that the orders were passed without any notice to petitioners, were against the principle of natural justice and liable to be declared void.

He argued that the adviser and the civil surgeon passed orders without any reason or justification as his clients were selected after due procedure and appointed by the competent authority.

He said that by cancelling the appointment orders and appointing himself chairman of the committee, Mr Saigal exercised powers not vested in him. He argued that the adviser had no authority to interfere in the selection and appointments of petitioners. The matter was fixed for hearing on March 11.