ORDER SHEET

IN THE HIGH COURT OF SINDH, KARACHI

____________________________________________________________

                            Order with signature of Judge   

 

Present :     Mr. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar

                                Mr. Justice Abdul GhaniSoomro

 

C.P.No.D-2550 of 2012

Masood Ahmed and others……..…..……………….….Petitioners

Versus

Province of Sindh and others........………………....Respondents

C.P.No.D-3908 of 2012

 

Khalid Hussain Solangi and others…………………………..Petitioners

 

Versus

 

Province of Sindh and others..……………………………..Respondents

 

Date of Hearing:-           26.09.2016

 

Mr.Amir Ali Shah Jillani, advocate for the petitioners

Mr.Abdul Jalil Zubedi, AAG

………

Muhammad Ali Mazhar, J:     Case of the petitioners is that in response to the advertisements published in daily newspaper for inviting applications to the posts of PST, JST and HST in Education Department, the petitioners applied for the post of Primary School Teacher. They appeared for prequalification test and were declared successful.  Copy of list of successful candidates prepared by the respondent No.3 is attached with the petitions. Further case of the petitioners is that despite qualifying prequalification test, they were not issued offer letters therefore they have filed these petitions for seeking directions against the respondents to appoint them against the post of PST. It is further stated that since the petitioners have cleared prequalification test conducted by the respondent No.3, therefore, they have vested right to be appointed as PST.

Though the petitioners have denied the offer letters for job in the year 2009 but it is a fact that C.P.No.D-2550/12 was filed on 04.07.2012 while C.P.No.D-3908/2012 was filed on 5th November, 2012. Nothing has been mentioned in these petitions as to why the petitioners were waiting for such a long time after close of process and filed these petitions in the year 2012. Learned AAG placed on record copy of order passed by hon’ble Supreme Court in Civil Petition No.186-K/2013, in which also laches was taken into consideration by the Apex  Court. He further argued that after 2008’s process at least 03 processes have also been conducted and completed so it is not possible at this stage to accommodate the petitioners in the year 2016. However, he submits that now Chief Minister Sindh by general Notification has already granted relaxation of age upto 15 years, therefore, the petitioners may apply in the next process on merits.

In our view, the petitions are hit by laches but on the statement made by learned AAG, the petitioners may apply in the next process and if they are found eligible for the job, Secretary Education is directed to consider applications of petitioners with sympathy and priority so that they may be  accommodated against some vacancies in future but in accordance with law.

          Both petitions are disposed of alongwith pending application.

 

                                                       J U D G E

                                                J U D G E