KHUDAYAR MOHLA

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued show cause notices to Chief Secretary Sindh, Secretary Works & Services and two government officials, on deputation, to explain reasons behind showing negligence to observe court orders, failing which the court shall initiate contempt proceedings against all of them.

A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim resumed the hearing of impleadment applications filed by Syed Tanvir Hussain and Syed Pervez Ali Shah in the matter.

Submitting compliance report in the case in pursuance of the court’ earlier directives, the Sindh government said that government officials including Shafqat Hussain Mughal and Zahid Ali Shah were repatriated to their parent department Literacy Education Department. However, the court was apprised that Mughal and Zahid Ali Shah’s services were retained as Shafqat Hussain Mughal was given the charge of Chief Engineer Sindh Road Improvement Programme, Hyderabad.

Reprimanding the Sindh government representative, Justice Amir Hani Muslim observed,” You are not taking the court orders seriously or you have thick skin – if all the three are sent to jail then things would be on the track”.

Justice Amir Hani Muslim also remarked that no one is above the law irrespective of their relations to anybody, adding that the court is well aware that its orders are not being observed in letter and sprit.

He remarked that the provincial government has been made laughing stock because blue eyed were being appointed there; as a peon was promoted as superintendent. He remarked that if the concerned authorities had the power, they would have promoted a peon to the post of Commissioner.

The bench said that the Secretary Works & Services had submitted an affidavit and a certificate before the court that government servants were repatriated in the Works & Services department. However, the bench observed that in the real sense no repatriation took place in the matters of Syed Tanvir Hussain and Shafqat Hussain Mughal. Justice Amir Hani Muslim said that it means that the Sindh government has concealed the facts in the matter in hand.

Accepting the plea of Pervez Ali Shah of the Works & Service Department, the bench issued directives to the Secretary of the department to issue notification of Shah and fix his seniority in conformity with his batch mates. Hearing of the matter would be taken up after the summer vacations.