KARACHI, Dec 31: The hearing of a petition for regularization of 42 doctors employed by the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution was on Friday adjourned to Jan 7.

Appearing for the SESSI, Advocate Khalid Habibullah questioned the maintainability of the petition. He said the petitioners had based their entire case on the confirmation of temporarily-employed doctors under the Regularization of Doctors Appointed on Contract Basis Act, 2003.

The SESSI was an autonomous institution and the law was not applicable to it. The petitioners were appointed on ad hoc basis and were replacable by duly selected permanent appointees. However, their services were extended for three months.

AG Anwar Mansoor said the provincial government department concerned had received no notice while he received one only late on Thursday. A division bench, comprising Justices Wahid Bux Brohi and Mushir Alam, adjourned the hearing to Jan 7. On the application for interim relief, the SESSI counsel gave the undertaking that no adverse action would be taken till the next date.

CONFINEMENT CASE: A division bench of the Sindh High Court comprising Justice Mohammad Mujeebullah Siddiqui and Justice Rahmat Hussain Jafferi on Friday ordered additional registrar of the SHC to lodge a complaint before the court of competent jurisdiction against the superintendent of the Youthful Offenders' Industrial School, Karachi, and SHO of Mominabad. -APP