Islamabad High Court questions use of security reports to deny overseas postings

The Islamabad High Court recently questioned the use of intelligence reports to deny overseas postings for civil servants. The division bench of Justices Khadim Hussain Soomro and Umair Malik heard an intra-court appeal by the federation against a previous ruling. The judges asked whether intelligence agency reports could be relied upon in a judicial order and if they could override a decision made by the prime minister.

Counsel for the affected officers, Saad Buttar, explained that the candidates had been selected through tests and interviews by a high-powered committee, yet were later informed they were unsuitable for overseas postings. He noted that the candidates underwent a rigorous selection process and had received diplomatic passports before the confidential reports declared them unsuitable for overseas service.

Buttar questioned how a secret report could override a transparent selection process and how an employee could be deemed suitable for domestic duties but not cleared for overseas postings.

Additional Attorney General Rashid Hafeez argued that the petitions before the high court were non-maintainable since matters related to government employment were pending before the Services Tribunal. The court sought further arguments on the legal standing of intelligence documents used against civil servants.