ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday imposed stay on recruitment of police officials in the capital through National Testing Service (NTS) till further order on a petition challenging criteria and legal status of the testing body as recruiting authority.
While issuing notices to federation and Inspector General of the Police (IGP), the single-judge bench of Justice, Athar Minallah directed the secretary interior ministry to file comments in this regard till next date of hearing.
During the course of proceedings, Syed Kazim Abbas petioner argued before the buch that NTS was a private organization having no legal status and authority to initiate recruitment process.
He alleged that the qualification requirement for the post of ASI and constable was BA/BSC and Matriculation respectively as per the publication which was against the Police Rules, 1934.
"Educational requirement of BA for ASI is illegal and unlawful.It has caused great prejudice to the rights of petitioner," the petitioner stated.
While requesting the court to direct federation and police to refrain from recruitment through NTS and fix the educational qualification according to the Police Rules, 1934, the petitioner's counsel, Syed Mohammad Tayyub asked how come a private firm could conduct tests for the posts vacant in a government department.
Tayyub further said that candidates were charged Rs. 650 for appearing in test by the NTS and hundreds of thousands of people usually apply for such posts.
The bench questioned about the legal status of NTS in the presence of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) saying it was a case of public interest and the court would hear all the parties before reaching to a conclusion.
In his comments, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Establishment, Ashraf Zubair Siddiqui, stated that under the government policy NTS was selected to induct suitable candidates purely on merits without interference, undue influence, favouritism and coercion by the department.
The AIG stated that government had enhanced educational standard up to BA and all graduates were selected in the last recruitment in ICT police for the post of ASI.
Siddiqui added that Supreme Court of Pakistan has also announced various posts through NTS proving that it was recognised testing service for impartial induction into any institution.
He alleged that petitioner had come to the court with 'un-clean hands' and was not entitled to discretionary relief.
Mir Afzal Malik, the counsel for NTS, stated that the issue rose before the court fell in the domain of the selection board of ICT police and NTS had to execute tests only at the instructions of the IGP.
On the legal status of NTS, Malik said that the LHC judgment of the single bench was pending adjudication before a divisional bench of the same courts. Subsequently the case was adjourned for a date in office.
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