ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday annulled a government notification dismissing Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) Chairperson Vadiyya Khalil.
IHC revoked another notification issued by the government to dismiss Muhammad Saleem and Dr Shehzad Ansari, two other members of the commission. The high court directed both members to resume their services.
IHC Judge Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb announced the verdict, stating that the government cannot dismiss officials without following the prescribed rules and procedures.
Khalil and other members of the commission who were dismissed had challenged the Finance Division’s notification which was issued on October 15, 2018.
The division’s decision came after the federal cabinet’s approval on October 4, 2018.
Khalil was appointed as the commission’s chairperson on October 14, 2017, for a term of three years. Ansari, Saleem were appointed on December 4, 2017 for a period of three years.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government’s then minister for information and broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had said that Khalil and other members of the commission had been appointed illegally.
Chaudhry had said that it had been decided to remove several high-level officials in banks and government departments as according to a Supreme Court decision, only the cabinet could appoint directors and heads of departments. This role had been unlawfully delegated to Ishaq Dar, the then-finance minister, by the previous PML-N government.
The officials dismissed from their posts include Saeed Ahmed, the president of National Bank of Pakistan; Tahira Raza, the president of First Women Bank; Syed Talat Mehmood, the president of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited; and Ehsanul Haq Khan, the president of SME Bank.
Besides, four other officials appointed during the PML-N’s tenure were also removed including Jameel Ahmed, the deputy governor of State Bank; Shamsul Hassan, the deputy governor of State Bank; Khalil, Saleem and Ansar of CCP.
