SHC irked by KU’s failure to implement order for appointments at mass communication dept

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Wednesday took exception to non-compliance of the court orders by the University of Karachi (KU) in respect of a lecturers appointments case and directed the varsity to convene a fresh meeting of the syndicate to implement the court order in letter and spirit.

The direction came on Rizwan Tahir and others’ contempt application against the registrar and vice chancellor of the KU for not implementing the court orders related to the appointment of lecturers in the mass communication department.

The applicants submitted that the SHC had on its May 13 order set aside the impugned decision of the syndicate and directed it to take a fresh decision in respect of a majority decision of the selection board within two weeks strictly in accordance with the law. They submitted that the selection board had recommended them for the posts of lecturers after clearance of written tests and interviews but no appointment letters had been issued to them.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Irfan Saadat Khan after hearing the arguments of the counsel observed that the Supreme Court had upheld the findings of the high court order and it was undertaken before the apex court that the syndicate would comply with the court orders.

The high court observed that the KU counsel filed a statement along with a copy of deliberation that took place in a special meeting of the syndicate. The SHC observed that perusal of the statement reflected that deliberations had taken place without making reference to the order of the court issued on May 13 and instead the syndicate gave directions that the selection board should be reconvened to consider the cases of the petitioners afresh.

A counsel for the petitioners submitted that despite undertaking before the apex court as well as the high court by the KU, the grievance of the petitioners had still not been redressed. The SHC observed that it appeared that no stone had been left unturned in denying relief to the petitioners which was provided by the court in its order on May 13 which clearly amounted to contempt of court.

The high court directed the KU to convene a fresh meeting of the syndicate to give effect to the order of court on May 13 and file a compliance report within the first week of January 2023. The court warned that in case of non-compliance, appropriate action would be taken in accordance with the law against the alleged contemnors.