FPSC asked to appoint DG Plant Protection department in three months

The Lahore High Court (LHC) here on Wednesday directed the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to fill the vacant post of Director General Plant Protection department within three months. The court observed that the government authorities must ensure merit while appointing officials with public departments and refrain from making ad hoc appointments.
The petitioner through Sheraz Zaka advocate argued that a single bench of the LHC had declared the appointment of S M Imran Shami as DG of the plant protection department for not meeting the requirements for the said post. The petitioner's counsel said that the authorities concerned had not been making appointment of the DG of Plant Protection department. He argued that Shami was also appointed as operational manager with the same department despite that he lacked the required qualifications. He said that only a qualified agriculturist could be appointed on the post. However, the counsel for the ministry opposed the petition and said that the appointment of Shami was made on look after charge basis and soon the post would be filled by the FPSC.