ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a report on illegal appointments in Port Qasim Authority (PQA) and directed the Ministry of Ports and Shipping to refurnish a “complete record” of the appointments made by former minister Babar Khan Ghauri.
A four-member bench comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, was hearing the petition challenging the appointment of Mehmood Zameer Farooqi, brother-in-law of MakhdoomAmin Fahim, the incumbent federal minister for commerce, in the PQA.
The court also converted the petition filed by dysfunctional secretary of the Ports and Shipping Ministry, Abdul Jabbar Memon, into a human rights case. The petitioner on January17 also filed a miscellaneous application requesting the court to stop the former minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri from using his influence in transfers and postings in the PQA. On last hearing, the court had sought from the Ministry of Ports and Shipping the comprehensive record of the appointments of employees from grade 1 to 20 during the last three years.
The PQA submitted a report of 400 staff, who had been employed during the last three years but the court expressed dissatisfaction on the report and held that the record of appointments was incomplete. During hearing, Justice Javed Iqbal observed that the PQA was established in 1973 but rules had not been framed up till date “just for making illegal appointments”. He said the court would take strict action against the officials found involved in making illegal appointments.
He noted that three persons of a same home were appointed in grade-15 in PQA and just after 15 days of their appointments, they were promoted to Grade 20. Later, the court adjourned the hearing until February14.
