ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: The Islamabad High Court has declared that appointments and transfers on deputation of several officials to key posts in the passport office in and outside the country are illegal and unlawful.

In a detailed judgment on a petition challenging appointments and promotions in the passport department, Justice Shaukat Azaiz Siddiqui observed that it was manifestly clear that the posts of directors and deputy directors were entirely based on promotion and not meant for outsiders.

The court said the interior ministry and the cabinet division had failed to place on record material to show that suitable persons were not available for promotion. It said it was astonishing to know that one of the respondents, Yahya Hussain Bokhari, had been appointed deputy director on a verbal order of the interior secretary which came within the definition of ‘polluted actions’.

“It is a matter of great concern that the posts about which general perception is that from where money is minted through illegal means are filled by political influence and for obtaining share. This trend is on increase and blue-eyed persons who are agents of influential persons are brought on deputation so that they may earn through corruption and corrupt practices,” the detailed order said.

The court observed that the corruption mafia had ruined the country and if timely preventive measures were not taken this would destroy all institutions.

“It is no more a secret that in the immigration department, persons earn transfer on deputation, even by paying huge amounts to persons at the helm of affairs and even to their patrons in political clothes.”

The order said one could understand the consideration of bringing three respondents — Yahya Hussain Shah Bokhari, Zulfikar Ali Talpur and Ghulam Mujtaba Joyo — to the passport department despite the fact that they did not possess the qualification and experience required for the posts.

The court directed the respondents, including the secretaries of interior and establishment division, director general passports and Federal Public Service Commission chairman, to adhere to the provision of law, rules applicable and principle of transparency.

Yahya Hussain Bokhari, who was working as deputy director (north zone) in Lahore, was demoted to the rank of assistant director after the court had stopped him from acting as deputy director till final disposition of the case.

But informed sources said he had been given the additional charge of deputy director again in violation of the court’s orders. In the absence of a foreign postings policy, outsiders continue to make their way into the passport office on deputation and get lucrative posts.

Mujtaba Joyo who had been serving in New York since 2004 is being replaced by Nadir Gabol, son of former minister of state Nabeel Gabol.

Dr Ismat Nadeem, deputy secretary of industries, commerce and investment in Punjab, has also joined the passports department on deputation.

The sources said that a number of officers from the National Assembly Secretariat, National Highway Authority, PIA and Motorway police had used their contacts to join the passport office on deputation at half the salary they were getting in their parent departments.