The Supreme Court Tuesday granted a week to the Sindh government to rectify the recently-enacted law that reduced service tenure of chairman and members of Sindh Services Tribunal from three to two years.
A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk comprising Justice Amir Hani Muslim and Justice Ejaz Afzal resumed the hearing of a reference filed by Justice retired Najeeb Ullah, Chairman Sindh Services Tribunal, against the Sindh government in the matter.
He had pointed out that the Sindh government violated the judgement, passed by the Supreme Court in 2013 to which the apex court summoned Secretary Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD), Advocate General Sindh and Provincial Law Secretary.
During the course of proceedings, Chief Justice Nasiurl Mulk asked the provincial Advocate General Abdul Fateh Malik about grounds under which service tenure of the Chairman and members of the Sindh Services Tribunal was reduced.
The Advocate General submitted that the Sindh Assembly has passed the bill regarding a reduction of service tenure while the Governor has signed it, adding that he was unable to contact the Chief Minister Sindh due to his busy schedule in the wake of law and order situation of the province.
Representative of S&GAD apprised the bench that there was no summary for a reduction, but actually the summary was moved for implementing the orders of the Supreme Court.
Provincial Law Secretary Mir Muhammad Sheikh said that he has drafted the summary to which Justice Amir Hani Muslim observed that the law was amended unilaterally, saying prima facie it is contempt of court. Farooq H Naek contended that there was some confusion, adding that Advocate General had requested him to assist in the instant case.
Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk said while addressing Naek that the court had received a complaint from Chairman Sindh Services Tribunal; to which the court asked the Sindh government for its financial power but in response the provincial government reduced the service tenure of the Chairman from 3 to 2 years.
"I can talk to the Chief Minister and will be back with fruitful results so please give me one week time," Naek requested the court.
Seeking a compliance report from the Sindh government, the bench adjourned hearing of the matter till May 26.