The Federal Services Tribunal on Friday observed that non-cadre persons cannot be posted against cadre posts of any group.
Hearing an appeal against quota allocation for ex-cadre/private sector people in the press sections of Pakistan’s mission abroad, the tribunal remarked that implementation of this quota should be stopped forthwith.
The Director General External Publicity Wing, representing the Ministry of Information Broadcasting and National Heritage, assured the court that the ministry is not currently carrying out any process to implement the controversial quota for ex-cadre persons.
It may be mentioned that 20 per cent quota was fixed for posting of ex-cadre/private sector persons as Press Counsellors/Ministers in Pakistan’s Missions abroad, through an impugned Office Memorandum no 1190/SPM/2014 Dated July 9, 2014. He further assured the tribunal that if and whenever these postings are finalized only information group officers will be considered for these postings.
The lawyer for Information Group officers informed the tribunal that the ministry is conducting the selection procedure for press officers in a haphazard manner without formulating appropriate criteria following the set rules.
The court on the guarantee of the director general, ordered to issue notices to all concerned including Establishment Division for appearing in the case on April 26, 2016 so that violation of the Supreme Court judgment must be stopped at the earliest.