SHC issues contempt notices to water corporation CEO, HDA DG

HYDERABAD: The Sindh High Court’s circuit bench in Hyderabad has issued contempt of court notices to Hyderabad Water Corporation Chief Executive Officer Tufail Ahmed Abro and Hyderabad Development Authority Director General Afshan Rabab for not implementing court orders.

Both officials have been directed to appear in person before the court on May 6. The notices were issued by the assistant registrar of the high court after a contempt petition was moved by employees of the Hyderabad Development Authority and the Water Corporation, including Jahangir Khan Junejo and others.

The petitioners told the court that despite clear directions already issued by the court, the authorities had not sent back 62 employees to their parent departments. They asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings over the non-compliance.

However, soon after the contempt notices were issued, the HDA secretary issued an order for implementation of the court’s directives.

Under a notification dated April 27, all 62 employees were reassigned to their original departments. The order said several meetings had been held in connection with two constitutional petitions that are under hearing before the high court.

The notification further stated that the service records of the petitioning employees were checked by Hyderabad Water Corporation Chief HR Management Officer Naeem Shoro along with legal experts. After that verification process, their services were restored to their parent departments.

As per the order, 25 employees were reassigned to the Hyderabad Development Authority, while 37 employees were sent back to the Hyderabad Water Corporation.

The directive said the order would take effect immediately. It also stated that any discrepancies or implementation-related issues would be addressed after due consideration.

Petition led to contempt notices

The contempt petition was filed by employees who argued that the court’s earlier instructions had not been carried out. The high court then issued notices to the two senior officials concerned and summoned them for a personal appearance.

The subsequent administrative order by the HDA secretary came after the notices were issued and set out the redistribution of all 62 employees between the two institutions.

The order also linked the action to proceedings in two constitutional petitions pending before the court, while noting that employee records had been verified before the transfers back to the original departments were carried out.