Islamabad: Fifteen top Pakistani
officials, including the investigative agency FIA`s chief and
close aide of the President may loose their jobs with a
high-level panel recommending the termination of their
services.
Establishment Division Secretary Abdur Rauf Chaudhry,
appearing before a seven-judge Supreme Court bench headed by
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, said Federal Investigation
Agency (FIA) chief Wasim Ahmed and the Sindh Police chief were
among the 15 officials whose termination had been recommended
by a committee of the secretaries.
Ahmed is considered a confidant of President Asif Ali
Zardari and was made head of the FIA after being hired on
contract after his retirement from government service.
The committee of secretaries conducted a review of
contractual employees holding senior official positions on the
orders of the apex court.
The court had called for action against 152
officials who had been re-employed after their retirement.
The Establishment Division Secretary said the
contractual services of other officers were being reviewed and
the court would be intimated of action to be taken against
them at the next hearing of the case.
The bench reiterated that the re-employment of retired
officers on contract blocked the promotion of other officials.
The rights of deserving candidates are being violated
and such practices do not facilitate good governance.
The court’s order against re-employing retired
officials could also affect Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retired)
Athar Ali and Defence Production Secretary Lt Gen (retired)
Israr Ahmed Ghumman.
PTI
