ISLAMABAD, Feb 19: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment in the case of reinstatement of about the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) 100 employees who were recruited during the PPP government but asked to leave by the next government.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Javed Iqbal and Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, during the course of hearing, observed that the practice of hiring people by one regime and their termination by the next government should come to end.

The court was informed that during the tenure of Ms Benazir Bhutto, about 400 persons were recruited to the PSO in 1995 as sales officers and executives, and management trainees. The PSO management tried its level best to absorb them, but there was no room for 153 of them.

They filed cases in the Federal Services Tribunal and 34 of them were reinstated and are still working under the orders of the FST, but the PSO filed appeal in the Supreme Court against the tribunal's decision.

The court was informed that the appointment letters for these employees were issued by an influential woman sitting in the Prime Minister's House without completing any formality.

Justice Javed Iqbal inquired from the PSO counsel to explain who had empowered them to appoint employees at their will when there was no need for them, and then terminate them without assigning any reason.

Asked to remand the case to the FST for a rehearing, Justice Javed Iqbal pointed out that he never remanded any case as in majority of the cases people accessed the Supreme Court even after litigation of decades, and when the cases were remanded, another round of litigation started.

Advocate Siddique Mirza, advocate Sheikh Anwarul Haq and advocate Raja Haq Nawaz represented the PSO while Hafeez Lakhu, Sheikh Riaz ul Haq and Syed Ali Rizvi Gilani appeared on behalf of the employees.