KARACHI, Feb 16: The Federal Service Tribunal in its judgment on appeals filed by staff of the defunct Airports Development Agency (ADA) has directed the Civil Aviation Authority to count their service rendered in the ADA towards seniority and pension as recommended by their (CAA’s) high-powered committee, official sources said here on Sunday.

The ADA was merged with the CAA and its employees were transferred enbloc to the CAA on the orders of the ministry of defence (aviation division) from February 22, 1993, but the CAA treated them as fresh entrants ignoring their service rendered in the ADA.

Being aggrieved, 15 employees of the ADA filed their appeals with the FST, Islamabad, for determination of their seniority in the CAA from the dates of their appointment in their parent department, which was being denied by the CAA.

They contended that the ministry of defence had already decided the aspect of their seniority at the time of merger of the ADA with the CAA vide letter No 14-11/92-ADA dated 18-03-93 which clearly stated that “seniority of ADA staff in the CAA would be regulated in accordance with government rules.”

Counsel for the appellants argued that seniority of his clients be counted from the dates of their appointment in the ADA, and not from the dates of joining the CAA, as they continued to perform the same functions even after their induction into the CAA.

He argued that the CAA gave seniority and promotions to a few employees of the ADA, but the same were denied to the appellants, which was discriminatory in nature and violative of article 25 of the Constitution.

The counsel for the respondent (CAA) claimed that the appellants had been treated fairly in so far as their salaries drawn in the ADA were protected and their service was also being counted towards their pensionable service as a special case, but their seniority the in CAA would be counted from the dates of their joining the CAA from February 22, 1993.— PPI