SHC directs govt to file comments on appointment criteria for MD KWSB

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the additional secretary, local government to file comments with regard to the appointment criteria for the posts of managing director, secretary and deputy managing director finance of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB).

The direction came on the petition of Mohammad Aslam Awan, who challenged the appointment of MD KWSB on own pay and scale basis in violation of the court’s directives.

The petitioner submitted that the respondent MD was appointed on own pay scale (OPS) basis on September 24, 2020 but despite a notification was issued on March 26, 2021 that all the officers stand relieved, the respondent was continuing his assignment on own pay scale (OPS) basis.

The secretary, local government filed comments on the petition, submitting that the posts of managing director, deputy director finance and secretary, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board have been de-cadered by the services department with the approval of competent authority.

He further submitted that after de-cadering the posts of MD KWSB, the deputy managing director Asadullah Khan, holding additional charge for the post of MD KWSB, was transferred and posted as MD of the water and sewerage utility on a regular basis.

The SHC’s division bench headed by Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar and Justice Adnanul Karim Memon, after taking the comments on record, inquired the law officer about the annexure in the comments with regard to the de-cadering of the posts of MD, deputy MD (finance) and secretary KWSB and filling up these posts by appointment through the competitive process from the public and private sector open market.

The provincial law officer sought time to call the additional secretary to satisfy the court on such point. The court directed the law officer to satisfy the court with regard to the appointment criteria for such posts on the next date of hearing.