SHC issues notices to CM`s 17 advisers
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Monday put 17 advisers to the Sindh chief minister on notice on a petition challenging their appointment.
A division bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed also issued notices to the chief secretary and the advocate general and put off the hearing till Feb 7.
Petitioner Alf Jatoi, represented by Advocate Zamir Ghumro, impleaded advisers Rashid Hussain Rabbani, Gul Muhammad Laat, Qurban Ali Behan, Waqas Malik, Mufti Ferozuddin Hazarvi, Sharmila Farooqui, Ghulam Qadir Malkani, Babar Leghari, Imamuddin Shauqeen, Muhammed Siddiqui Abu Bhai, Jehangir Delawar Khanjee, Sardar Aamir Khan Bhutto, Jameel Ahmed Soomro, Kaiser Bengali, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, Zubair Ahmed Motiwala and Fazal-ur-Rehman as respondents.
He stated in his petition that he was an active member of civil society, political activist and member of Central Committee of the Sindh Dost Rabita Council, a think tank on the affairs of the province of Sindh.
The petitioner submitted that under Article 130 of the Constitution, the chief minister of a province shall not appoint more than five advisers but the Sindh chief minister had unlawfully and unconstitutionally appointed more than 15 advisers and also allotted them portfolios which could not be allotted to them under the law.
The petitioner submitted that the purpose of the appointment of advisers was to get professional and expert opinion from highly qualified persons for the government on certain specialised matters for which government lacks expertise.
He stated that the appointed advisers did not possess required expertise in any field and had been appointed on the basis of favouritism and nepotism and they were least concerned with the problems of the people.
The petitioner stated that being unelected the advisers were responsible to none and being paid huge salaries and costly perks at the expense of the public exchequer.
He prayed to the court to direct the respondent advisers to show authority of constitution and law under which they were holding their offices as advisers to the chief minister and on their failure to show such authority declare their appointment illegal, unconstitutional and without any legal effect.
Source: Dawn
Date:1/25/2011
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