LARKANA, Dec 5: The Larkana circuit bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday issued contempt of court notice to the registrar of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) in a petition filed by Dr Shahida Magsi, associate professor of gynaecology and obstetrics at the Shaikh Zayed Hospital for Women.

Dr Magsi’s counsel Rasool Bakhsh Soomro requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the university’s vice chancellor Prof Dr Asadullah Mahar, registrar Dr Amanullah Jokhio, additional registrar Dr Mohammad Hassan Shaikh and principal of the Chandka Medical College, Dr Sher Mohammad Shaikh.

The petitioner had qualified for the only post of associate professor which had been advertised through newspapers but her appointment was challenged in court by Dr Fozia Shaikh who worked at the Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College (GMMMC), Sukkur.

Dr Magsi then joined Dr Shaikh’s case as intervener and the court issued an interim order on Jan 23 in Dr Magsi’s favour, asking the university to continue with the recruitment process as per advertisement.

Later, Dr Magsi moved the court over undue delay in the issuance of appointment order to her as she was the only successful candidate for the post. The court subsequently dismissed the petition filed by Dr Shaikh on April 8 and Dr Magsi was appointed to the post on April 14.

After dismissal of her petition, Dr Shaikh submitted an application to the university vice chancellor on July 16 requesting him to transfer her from GMMMC to CMC though she had been appointed in the college under a bond that she would not press for transfer, said the petitioner.

Dr Shaikh used her influence and had herself transferred to CMC on Nov 28. The contemnors bowed to her wishes in spite of court’s directives and in violation of the rules of the department.

The contemnors had categorically failed to comply with the court orders, which was a clear defiance on their part, she said.

She requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the VC and other officials and order them to cancel transfer orders of Dr Shaikh.

The division bench comprising Justices Ifran Saadat Khan and Abdul Maalik Gaddi ordered issuing contempt notice to Dr Amanullah Jokhio, registrar SMBBMU and directed him to file comments on Jan 21, 2014.

ACE hiring case

The Larkana circuit bench of the Sindh High Court on Thursday issued notices to director and deputy director of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Karachi and Larkana, asking them to appear in court on Dec 19 in a petition, challenging appointments of constable, technician and assistant sub-inspectors in the ACE.

Ashfaque Abro, counsel for the petitioner Abdul Ghani Kalhoro, said the petitioner had passed the test for the post of constable held at the office of deputy director of ACE Larkana on Feb 11, 2011.

Later, a list of successful candidates was issued on July 7, 2011, which said he among many others had cleared the written test.

He then appeared in viva voce test on Aug 11, 2011 but its result had not been announced since, he said.

He said that instead of announcing the result, surprisingly the respondents (director, deputy director and chairman of ACE) issued appointment orders to the candidates who had neither appeared in physical test nor passed the written test and even those who did not even belong to Larkana district.

None of the persons whose names were among the successful candidates’ lists were issued the appointment orders, said the petitioner.

The petitioner requested the court to declare the respondents’ act as illegal, unlawful, discriminatory and mala fide, and direct the director of ACE Karachi to issue final result of viva voce.

The bench consisting of Justices Irfan Saadat Khan and Abdul Maalik Gaddi adjourned the petition to Dec 19 after issuing notices to the chairman, director and deputy director of ACE Sindh.