PHC stays varsity’s order on employees status

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court on Thursday stayed Abdul Wali Khan University order of declaring regular employees of the university as contractual workers.

A single bench headed by Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth also issued notice to vice-chancellor and registrar of the university. They were directed to submit reply and explain as to why services of regular employees of the university were made contractual.

The bench issued the stay order and directions in a writ petition filed by Qaiser Rafiq, supervisor, and others working as supervisors, stenographers and Class-IV employees through their lawyer Asif Khan Yousafzai.

The lawyer submitted that the petitioners were appointed on contract basis during establishment of the university as project employees. He said the university in 2015 regularised the services of the petitioners after fulfilling all the legal requirements.  However, without citing any reasons the university again in December 14, 2016 declared the petitioners as contractual employees.