Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has informed the Supreme Court that the appointments on the posts of BPS 20 and above within the bureau are made in accordance with the law. It further revealed that the top court’s judgment of 2013, which laid down principles for structure of civil servants, did not apply to NAB employees as they were not civil servants.

The Supreme Court on August 17 had taken Suo Moto action against the alleged illegalities, contraventions and violations in appointment within NAB on an anonymous letter mentioning the names of army officials working within the bureau on deputation. However, Additional Director HRM Wing, NAB Niaz Hassan on Thursday submitted a 5-page concise statement.

The reply stated that the officers whose names were mentioned in parts of letter were not presently working on deputation in NAB but they were inducted or absorbed in the initial years of establishment of NAB in accordance with NAB Employees Terms and Condition of Services, 2002.

It is further submitted that military officers including Major (r) Masood Ahmed Lodhi, Squadron Leaders Karamat, Irshad Ul Haq, Col (r) Subhah Sadiq, and Col (r) Shahbaz Ahmad Bhatti, have since been retired from services. Similarly, it stated, Nawazish Ali Khan Asim was on deputation with NAB from June 17 of this year but he has been repatriated to his parent department on his request.

“So far as Brig (r) Hadeed Anwar Malik is concerned, he has never taken on deputation nor been absorbed into NAB. His services have been hired as Expert in Nab HQ on monthly fee basis under section 28 (f) of National Accountability Ordinance 1999,” the reply stated.

Multiple litigations of NAB employees are pending adjudication before different high courts on the same issues agitated in the instant SMC regarding their appointments, inductions, and promotions. Hence, any observation in the instant SMC may prejudice either party and deprive one the right of appeal.

Due to pendency of litigation in Courts amongst the officers, promotions of directors (BS 20) to the post Director General (BS 21) has been lingering for some time. The Director General is the regional head, and therefore, this position cannot be kept vacant. In order to meet the operational and administrative requirements, the charge of the post of Director General has been given to their senior most Director BS 20 in their Own Pay and Scale (OPS).

A petitioner namely Hassan Awais had filed a petition challenging the appointments, promotions and seniority of DGs and directors but SC office had objected to the petition, regarding it frivolous.