IHC restrains Chairman PEC from appointing new registrar
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday restrained the Chairman of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) from appointing a new Registrar of the PEC. A single-judge bench of Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro heard a petition filed by Engr. Khadim Hussain Bhatti, one of the senior additional registrars serving the institution, through Barrister Umer Ijaz Gilani, against the appointment…
On Wednesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued an interim order restraining the Chairman of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) from appointing a new Registrar. The decision came after a single-judge bench led by Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro heard a petition filed by Engr. Khadim Hussain Bhatti, a senior additional registrar at the PEC, through lawyer Umer Ijaz Gilani.
The petitioner argued that the PEC Service Rules state that senior additional registrars should be prioritized for promotion, with appointments from the general public only if they are deemed unsuitable for promotion. Bhatti also contended that the PEC, representing over 200,000 engineers, operates on democratic principles, and its administrative powers are vested in the 66-member Governing Body, which includes engineer representatives.
According to the PEC byelaws, the Governing Body, not the Chairman, holds the authority to appoint the Registrar. However, the current Chairman has chosen to circumvent the Governing Body's jurisdiction. Furthermore, more than 20 members of the Governing Body have submitted a resolution opposing the Chairman's unauthorized takeover of the body's responsibilities.
The court, after considering the arguments presented, issued the order restraining the PEC Chairman from finalizing the appointment.
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