PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday ordered the National Health Services to appoint 19 grade doctors against the positions meant for them within three months.
A two-member PHC bench comprising Justice Ijaz Anwar and Justice SM Atiq Shah was hearing the writ petition filed against the appointment of grade 17 doctors against the positions meant for grade 19 officers. A citizen Hafeezullah had filed the petition through his lawyer Malik Shahbaz Khan Advocate. The counsel for the petitioner told the court that the federal government appointed a grade 17 officer Syed Murtaza Shah on acting charge basis as director in the Branch Central Services in the National Health Services some one and a half years ago. He said that according to the relevant rulers, such an appointment cannot be made for more than six months. He said that the federal government was taking such steps which had deprived the senior officers of their right to promotion. He said that there were verdicts of the superior judiciary against such appointments. A representative of the federal government told the court that the appointment was made as a stopgap arrangement, adding that a suitable person would be appointed as soon as such a candidate was available. The court ordered the government to appoint a qualified person against the position within three months on the basis of seniority.