KARACHI, Nov 15: A division bench of the Sindh High Court has extended the interim stay order by which the chief secretary and the secretary works and services department have been restrained from convening a meeting of a selection board.

The meeting was to consider promotion of superintending engineers exclusively from the defunct C&W department.

The bench consisted of Justice Roshan Essani and Justice Mujeebullah Siddiqui.

The petitioners, Nazir Ahmed Shaikh and Mohammed Ali, through their counsel, Mohammed Nawaz Shaikh, contended that after the promulgation of SLGO 2001 and introduction of the devolution plan, the defunct education works department had been merged with the newly-created works and services department, after approval was accorded by the Sindh governor on April 26 this year. They were working in the defunct education works department.

In pursuance of that order, the designation of the petitioners was converted from superintending engineer to executive district officer. They were drawing salary from the newly-created department.

It is the contention of the petitioners that after restructuring of the department the senior most superintending engineers were to be promoted against the vacant post of BPS 20. But, they alleged, the secretary C&W ignored the senior most SEs, affecting them. Therefore, the order was discriminatory and violative of fundamental rights.

In the comments filed by the chief secretary it was contended that no notification for the merger was passed, except the approval granted by the governor.

The matter was adjourned to Nov 27.

BAIL GRANTED: Another division bench, comprising Justice Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Justice Ataur Rahman, granted bail to a doctor who had been implicated in a bank fraud case.