KARACHI, June 24: The Sindh High Court advised the provincial governor on Thursday to appoint a chief executive officer/secretary for the provincial zakat council as provided by the relevant ordinance.

Disposing of a writ petition against the replacement of the zakat council headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali of the Sindh High Court, a division bench comprising Justices Sarmad Jalal Osmany and Mohammad Sadiq Leghari noted that no notification for appointment of a CEO/secretary had been issued by the provincial governor as required by the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance.

The provincial auqaf and zakat department secretary, Qabool Ahmed Shaikh, assumed the charge of the zakat council secretary on his own by virtue of the substantive office held by him.

There was no bar on his appointment but a notification had to be issued by the provincial governor, who had been declared the competent authority by the law. The competent authority was empowered to appoint any suitable person to the job.

A notification was, in any case, required under the ordinance. The bench also said in its disposal order that Sections 14 and 15 of the ordinance laid down an elaborate procedure for constitution of provincial and district zakat councils and these provisions should be complied with.