ISLAMABAD: The Isla­mabad High Court (IHC) has suspended the recommendations of the Spe­cial Committee of the National Assembly of reinstatement of 358 “political” appointm­ents of Emp­loyees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq ordered the suspension of the recommendat­i­o­­ns, put forth by the NA pa­­nel headed by Abdul Qadir Mandokhel, for the reinstatement of the EOBI’s em­ployees terminated on the orders of the Supreme Court.

The EOBI is the pension, old age benefits, and social insurance institution which is operated by the Ministry of Overseas Pakist­anis and Human Resource Development.

In 2014, the apex court issued the direction of terminating the services of 358 employees appointed on the recommendations of the politicians belonging to the government.

The Special Committee of the NA recommended the reinstatement of the sacked employees.

Petitioner says matter already pending in high court

However, upon the refusal of Zulfikar Haider, the federal secretary of the overseas ministry and EOBI Board of Trustee chairman, the NA committee moved a privilege motion against Mr Haider as well as EOBI Chairperson Naheed Durrani. The panel also directed the FIA to initiate a probe into the assets owned by Mr Haider.

Mr Hadier had petitioned before the IHC against the direction of the NA committee. His counsel Syed Ashfaq Hussain Naqvi ar­­gued before the court that by virtue of the “impugned directions/recommendations”, penal action had been sought against the petitioner. It was submitted that previously, recommendations were made for the reinstatement of the employees and the matter was already sub judice before the IHC.

According to the counsel, the language used by the Special Committee against the petitioner who is a BS-22 officer was uncalled for, and remanding his case to the FIA was against the principles of natural justice.

The petition said that “the chairman of the committee is abusing his authority by issuing the directions qua a matter which has not only been finally decided by the Supreme Court but even the proceedings of the committee are sub judice before this court with restraining order holding in the field.”

The petition requested the court to set aside the recommendations of the Special Committee. It also requested the court to declare the committee’s direction of summoning the petitioner and EOBI chairperson and referring the inquiry against Mr Haider to the FIA. Justice Farooq suspen­ded the “recommendations/directions” of the committee and adjou­rned further hearing till March 29.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2023