SC stops withdrawal of plea against unfair promotion

Karachi
The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned down an application, filed on behalf of the state, seeking a withdrawal of its appeal against the pro-forma promotion of retired government deputy secretary Riaz Ahmed Masan by the Sindh Service Tribunal.
The provincial government had assailed the tribunal for promoting the respondent even though he had failed to pass the prerequisite examinations, assistant controller part I and II.
The provincial law officer submitted that respondent was granted an exemption by the Sindh chief minister as a special case vide notification issued on September 23, 2003 whereas he was promoted to the post of deputy secretary on December 12, 2005.
The court in a previous hearing had observed the CM had no authority to relax service rules relating to promotions of government servants, adding that those who had not cleared their examinations should have been reverted.
The law officer had submitted a list of government servants who were promoted by the Sindh government without qualifying the required exams.