SHC seeks details of officers completing tenure under service laws

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed the advocate general Sindh to submit the list of senior government officers who completed their stipulated tenure under the service laws.

The court was hearing the petition of Karamat Ali and other rights activists and non-government organisations against the repeal of the Police Order, 2002, purportedly through the Sindh (Repeal of the Police Order, 2002 & Revival of the Police Act, 1861) Act, 2011, lack of implementation of the Police Order, 2002, and the illegal action of the Sindh government with regard to the transfer of IG Sindh A.D Khowaja.

Advocate General Sindh Zamir Ghumro submitted that the government had constituted a committee for reforms in the police laws and the department and police laws were to be reviewed in the light of previous commission’s report. He submitted that the IG could not challenge his appointment or transfer in the court and such powers were conferred on the provincial government.

He said that officer sent on deputation from the federal government had not five-year tenure limit and such tenure has been revived in the Sindh Rules of Business. He submitted the services of a federal government’s officer who come on deputation could be surrendered to the federal government at any time. He submitted that the IG Sindh was working in his own pay scale basis and other senior officers were available to replace him. He submitted that IG Sindh should himself voluntarily step down and the instant petition be disposed of on the withdrawal of IG Sindh.

The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Munib Akhtar, after hearing the arguments of the advocate general Sindh, directed him to place on record the list of government officers and heads of departments who had completed their tenure and in the meantime extended the interim stay order against the transfer of IG Sindh AD Khowaja till May 24.