A three-member Supreme Court bench on Tuesday re-issued notices to the federal Ports and Shipping Secretary Muhammad Saleem Khan, Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Chairman Admiral (r) Muhammad Shafi and PQA Deputy Secretary Muhammad Zameer Khan to appear in court in three week’s time and explain the issue of illegal appointments in the authority.
The bench of Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali was hearing a suo motu case about 688 illegal appointments from grade 2 to 21 in PQA by former Ports and Shipping minister Babar Khan Ghuari and other governmental authorities, and a petition by PQA’s dysfunctional secretary Abdul Jabbar Memon that challenged his removal.
During the hearing, the court noted that the officials did not turn up despite being issued notices on the previous hearing. The court warned that in case of their absence after three weeks, they would be issued show case notices and all other measures would be taken against them. The court noted that 688 people were appointed in PQA, 90 percent of who were from two respected constituencies of Karachi, and their appointments were against the law and merit policy.
Justice Javed Iqbal observed that the court would summon all the officials involved in the irregularity, whether they were ministers or other senior officials. “The illegal appointment of 688 people from only two constituencies by ignoring the people from Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was not only wrong but was totally illegal,” the judge said, adding that, “If this is not mal-practice, then what is malpractice in the eyes of the government?”
The judge said such illegal practices would not be tolerated again and those involved in such illegalities would have to face the consequences. Abdul Jabbar Memon, the dysfunctional PQA secretary, submitted that he was sacked because he pointed out the irregularity. He said he had not been given salary for the last five months and his family was suffering due to the injustice.
The court noted that it had already directed the PQA chairman not stop the salary of Memon, and “now the chairman has to ensure it”. Memon said the prime minister had issued orders for his restoration, but no action had been taken on his directives so far.
