The Sindh High Court has summoned comments from the National Food, Security and Research Department’s secretary, adviser and Plant Protection Department Director General Dr Mubarik Ahmed and others on a petition questioning the appointment of Dr Mubarik as DG of the department.
A division bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar directed the federal authorities to file comments by July 13.
Petitioner Zubair submitted that Dr Mubarik, who is an officer of Pakistan Agriculture Research Center (PARC), was given additional charge of DG Plant Protection Department despite the fact that it an autonomous entity and separate from PARC.
He claimed it was because of the political interferences, nepotism; the post remained occupied by the outsiders on deputation in violation of the service laws. He added the post is either filled by the way of promoting an officer of the department concerned or direct appointment through the legal procedure.
He told the judges that since September 2013, Dr Mubarik was entrusted the additional charge of the post of advisor and DG DPP. The notification with regard to the charge had expired on June 17 but still Dr Mubarik was holding the post without any notification. Therefore, the petitioner pleaded with the court to direct Dr Mubarik to show under what authority he was holding the post of DG PPD.
The court was prayed to order the federal government to fill the post permanently.
