IHC summons cabinet, estab depts reps in job quota case

ISLAMABAD: Hearing a petition against denial of quota to the residents of federal capital in appointments through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday directed the secretary Establishment Division, chairman FPSC, secretary CADD and secretary Cabinet Division to appear before the court in person on April 23.

The judge remarked that everyone comes to conquer Islamabad but no one comes to serve.

Representatives from the Establishment Division, Cabinet Division and FPSC appeared before the court.

The court inquired under what law the appointments were being made on quota system.

“You don’t even consider the Islamabad residents as third-rate citizens of this country,” Justice Siddiqui remarked saying that until allocation of a quota for Islamabad residents, the court may suspend appointments from other regions as well.

He also remarked that a Pakistani citizen could not appear in the superior services examination of Azad Jammu & Kashmir on the pretext that it was not part of Pakistan. “Let me know how AJ&K residents appear in the exams in Pakistan and join service.”

The bench was hearing an application of Syeda Farina who in her petition said Article 27 related to quota system had been suspended in 2013.

Separately, in another matter, the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) submitted its reply to a petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for allegedly passing contemptuous remarks against the superior judiciary.

In its reply, the PCP said Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by Supreme Court (SC) and the apex court was the relevant forum for initiating contempt of court proceedings against him.