KARACHI, July 27: The Sindh High Court on Friday issued notices to the establishment division secretary, federal industries secretary, the export processing zones authority (EPZA) and others in a petition against the appointment of the EPZA chairman and others.

A division bench headed by Justice Munib Akhtar also issued notices to the federal and provincial law officers and put off the hearing to Aug 6.

The petition against the appointment of EPZA chairman Muhammed Tariq Hasan was filed by five employees of the Authority — Wazir Khan, retired Major Haq Nawaz Chaudhry, Mohammed Saeed, Sualat Ali Khan and Syed Imtiaz Hussain Shah Kazmi.

The petitioners, represented by Mansoor-ul-Haque Solangi, impleaded as many as 18 respondents who included the establishment division secretary, secretary of federal industries ministry, EPZA and its chairman, chief secretaries of Sindh and Balochistan, managing director of Qaim Automotive Ltd and secretary of the board of investment.

They submitted that respondent Tariq Hasan was an active member of the Pakistan Muslim League and he continued to be the party’s vice-president in Sindh.

The petitioners submitted that he was appointed EPZA chairman on political grounds.

The petitioners stated that he had no experience, credibility, eligibility, fitness, suitability and professional background to be appointed to such a coveted office.

They stated that the respondent EPZA chairman misused his authority by appointing many people without observing the prescribed procedures of appointments and eligibility criteria.

The petitioners prayed to the court to declare the appointment of Mr Hassan as EPZA chief illegal and restrain him from holding the office as he being a political worker he was an ineligible person for the post.

They also prayed to the court to declare all appointments made by the EPZA chief as illegal and invalid.