The Balochistan High Court has been assured that engineers would be appointed as project director instead of bureaucrats in strict adherence to the Pakistan Engineering Council Act 1979 after due diligence to oversee multi-billion rupees infrastructure development projects in the province.
Four months ago, Advocates Umer Ijaz Gilani and Aimal Khan Kakar challenged the act of the Planning and Development Department of Balochistan on behalf of Pakistan Engineering Council. The department has appointed deputy commissioners as project directors. Advocate Gilani termed the act as a grave violation of Pakistan Engineering Council Act 1979. To which the Balochistan High Court (BHC) has sought the chief secretary’s response in the matter.
Provincial law officer on Tuesday appeared before division bench of Chief Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mulakhail in the matter. He confirmed the petitioner’s claim, saying Chief Minister Jam Kamal has approved a draft of a policy which will be placed before the cabinet’s forthcoming meeting for formal approval.
Talking to TLTP, Engr Rashid Ahmed Baloch Qazi, Vice Chairman of PEC Balochistan, said that he has been trying to regulate the project director’s appointments in accordance with the Act for three years.
Qazi expressed that he ran from pillar to post to fix the issue, saying finally the high court’s directives made the difference. Submitting a copy of the policy draft, the provincial law officer Shahak Baloch contended the policy will impose bar on existing government employees from appointment against the position of project directors or project staff on additional charge basis or through routine transfer.
He further informed, ‘Instead the policy allows Civil Servants of Balochistan, officers of Pakistan Administrative Service and regular employees of autonomous bodies to compete for advertised positions after obtaining the necessary no objection certificate (NOC) form their respective competent authority”. He submitted that on the directions of the chief minister the Planning and Development Department has prepared a detailed policy framework for guiding and regulating the process of appointment of project directors and staff for complex and large scale development projects.
After examining the draft of the policy, Chief Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail asked Shahak Baloch to submit a progress report in the matter during the next date of hearing on April 26. Talking to journalists after adjudication of the case, counsel for PEC Advocate Umer Ijaz Gilani said, “Principally the government has accepted the stance of his client – if there are any further recommendations on the contents of the policy that will be given to the government”.
