ISLAMABAD - Supreme Court Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has criticised the practice of reserving government jobs for bureaucrats’ children, emphasising the need for a transparent and merit-based hiring system.
“Are bureaucrats’ children somehow special? How can someone claim a job and say their future generations must also benefit?” Justice Isa remarked during a hearing on an appeal regarding public servants in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa here yesterday.
His comments came as the Supreme Court reviewed a case concerning government jobs allocated through a statutory regulatory order (SRO).
The chief justice, leading a four-member bench, questioned how such SROs could be issued by a mere section officer. “Can a section officer run the country? Neither the Constitution nor laws can be created through an SRO issued by a section officer,” he asserted.
Justice Isa noted that the practice of issuing SROs without proper authority began during General Ziaul Haq’s regime. “Back then, bureaucrats refused to sign off on certain orders, so Ziaul Haq initiated the practice of writing ‘competent authority’. But no one knew who this competent authority was. Any official document must have a clear basis,” he said.
The chief justice highlighted that government job quotas are a violation of the constitutional principle of non-discrimination. “The Constitution prohibits any form of discrimination. If a person qualifies for a job, they should be hired based on merit, not lineage.”
Justice Isa further stressed that merit-based recruitment is essential for the progress of the country. “Let those who fulfil the criteria for the job work. Bureaucracy should not perpetuate itself by reserving jobs for its own children.”
The court subsequently issued a written order, stating that all notifications issued by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government that contravene merit-based hiring practices should be withdrawn. “The provincial government must revoke any such SROs that violate constitutional provisions on equality and non-discrimination,” the ruling declared.
