Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has halted the Sindh Public Service Commission from new selections or fresh appointment of officers in the provincial government till the next date of hearing of a Suo Moto Case (SMC) over eligibility of the commission’s chairman and its members.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali initiated the SMC on an application filed by Advocate Muhammad Junaid Farooqi, wherein he challenged the eligibility of the commission’s chairman along with eight members of the commission. He, in his letter, had argued that the Chairman SPSC Muhammad Saleem Bhounr and other members do not fall within the eligibility criteria for possessing the posts adding they were underqualified for the posts.

Therefore, the letter alleged, the chairman as well as members are not competent and do not deserve to hold the seats. The other eight members of the commission include Syed Javed Ali Shah Bukhari, Shamsuddin Hisbani, Saindad Khan Solangi, Dr. Baz Muhammad Junejo, Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh, Froze Mehmood Bhatti, Ashique Ali Memon and Muhammad Hanif Pathan.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali issued the directions of restraining selections and fresh appointments of officers in provincial departments after hearing the SMC. During the course of the hearing, Sindh’s Advocate General Zameer Ghumro appeared before the bench on behalf of the provincial government, whereas the government denied the allegations against the chairman SPSC or the members.

The law officer informed the court that awarding a stay over future appointments would adversely affect the province as the commission was supposed to appoint 3000 doctors in Sindh. Farooq H. Naek, counsel for chairman SPSC, informed the court that he had not the received the report furnished by provincial government. The apex bench directed the counsel representing different parties to exchange copies of their respective applications.

The provincial government’s reply stated that the Sindh government had issued the notification for the appointment of the chairman SPSC Muhammad Saleem Bhounr for a period of five years Jan 20 of 2015.

The reply further stated that the post of the chairman SPSC was a constitutional post under Article 242(1b) of the constitution, adding the current chairman was a career foreign service officer, having an experience of over 20 years including five years’ service in Grade 20.