SC restores ban on jobs, uplift schemes

KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday suspended the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order that set aside Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) notification with regard to imposition of ban on recruitment in government departments and development activities in constituencies before the coming general elections.

Apex court's three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar ordered that no new development schemes shall be executed from now on however necessary appointments such as doctors and other staff which were directed by the courts in different human rights matters shall not be affected as well as necessary development schemes in which work was already being carried out would not be stopped.

Aggrieved by the IHC judgment, ECP filed application submitting that ECP on April 11 barred the federal and provincial governments from hiring in all institutions, working on development plans approved on April 1 or after it and transferring funds for ongoing projects ahead of the general elections.

The move was aimed at discouraging any pre-poll rigging by using government jobs as incentive that it had been done to ensure a fair and transparent election process. ECP’s provincial commissioner Yousuf Khattak submitted that IHC had set aside the notification although the ECP did not ban approved development projects prior to April 1.

The court issued notice to the provincial advocate generals, attorney general and other and called their comments within two weeks. The court, in meantime, also suspended the IHC order.

The provincial governments had challenged the ECP notification and argued that ECP had usurped the powers of the governments two months ahead of the expiry of their constitutional term. According to the federal government, the ECP could only issue such directives after issuing the election schedule.

Meanwhile, while hearing human rights case with regard to power breakdown, loadshedding in Karachi and other parts of the province, Chief Justice inquired counsel for K-Electric as why the electric supply utility was not providing electricity to the citizen of Karachi as due to power breakdown the lives of the citizens have become miserable.

K-Electric CEO said that two major units of the power utility have some faults and K-Electric have to make load management and assured the court that fault will be removed by May 20. To a court query, he said that Karachi has demand of 3200MW during summer season which is to be adjusted by the power utility through its 2569MW production.

Chief Justice observed that the holy month of Ramazan is about to come and people will suffer due to power loadshedding. The court observed that it is criminal negligence on part of the K-Electric for depriving the citizens of power and why criminal action should not be taken against it for such menace. The court directed the K-Electric to submit the loadmanagement programme before the court on next date of hearing.

Hyderabad electric supply corporation’s managing director informed the court that HESCO compelled to do 12-hour loadshedding on its 6 feeders, 8 hours on its 65 feeders and four hours on its 84 feeders and 2 hours load shedding on its 40 feeders.