ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to remove its 53 employees, who were inducted without the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) test and interview, with immediate effect.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard a contempt petition against the FIA for making unlawful recruitments in the agency and not complying with the Supreme Court order dated 21-02-2001.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan remarked said the Supreme Court had given three instructions to the FIA in 2001.

The chief justice observed that people were recruited without the FPSC test and interview.

The FIA counsel informed that four employees have died, while three have passed the competitive exam.

He said, after the SC judgment, the FIA employees approached the high courts. Justice Ijaz said the Supreme Court judgment cannot be overruled by the high courts.

The chief justice asked Director General FIA Wajid Zia to dismiss all those officials with immediate effect who did not pass the FPSC exam and to submit a report in this regard within 15 days.

Earlier, the DG FIA submitted the report in pursuance of the apex court order dated 20-04-2021.

According to the report 1989 a number of ad hoc employees were appointed in different ranks by the defunct Placement Bureau established by the then PPP regime on ad hoc basis.

Their services were terminated on 08-12-90.

The sacked employees obtained stay orders from Lahore High Court.

However, their services were terminated in 1996, on the basis of status quo(s) obtained from LHC and Sindh High Court (SHC).

The LHC on 07-02-2001 dismissed 53 pending writ petitions of different ad hoc appointees of FIA.

The aggrieved officials filed civil petitions before the apex court which were disposed of on 21-02-2001.

The SC directed the competent authority to offer contract appointment to the petitioners for a maximum period of two years or till the joining of the nominees of the FPSC, whichever is earlier.

"The competent authority shall ensure that relaxation of the upper age limit in relation to the petitioners is gone ahead to enable them to appear before the Commission according to law in that admittedly the petitioners are performing their respective functions in the FIA for about a decade," the SC order further said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021