The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday issued contempt of court notice to the National Assembly deputy secretary for violating the orders, in which the court stayed the recruitment of section officers.
Justice Azim Khan Afridi resumed the hearing of a petition filed by around 40 superintendents of the Lower House of the Parliament. On January 13, the IHC had restrained the recruitment of around 37 section officers, but the deputy secretary issued call letters. The petitioners in their petition submitted before the court that the authorities had advertised 37 vacant posts of section officers in national press which were traditionally promotional positions that could be filled through departmental promotion, adding that the process had been initiated to fill the vacancies directly.
The direct appointments would deprive the existing staff of their right of promotion who were waiting for it for a long time, they said and prayed the court to declare the process of recruitment as illegal and to direct the authorities to promote the existing staff in accordance with the rules and regulations. Deputy Attorney General Mohammad Abid Raja appeared on behalf of the federation and said that the authorities could hire fresh eligible candidates for the posts of section officers.
However, the IHC stayed the recruitment of section officers till the final decision, but deputy secretary did not comply with the court orders and issued call letters, due to which the IHC, while adjourning the case, issued contempt of court notices to him.
