ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court on Tuesday once again issued notices to the Federal Secretary Ports and Shipping Muhammad Saleem Khan, Chairman Port Qasim Authority (PQA) Admiral (Retd) Muhammad Shafi and Deputy Secretary PQA Muhammad Zameer Khan to appear before it after three weeks and explain the issue of illegal appointments in the authority. The bench comprising Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali heard a suo moto case about 688 illegal appointments from grade 2 to 21 in PQA by former minister Babar Khan Ghuari and other governmental authorities. During the hearing, the court noted that these officials did not appear before the court despite they were issued notices on the previous hearing. The court warned that in case of not appearing after three weeks, they will be issued show cause notices and all other measures would be taken against them. The court noted that 688 people were appointed in the PQA and 90 per cent of them were from two respected constituencies of Karachi and their appointments were against the law and merit policy. Justice Javed Iqbal observed that the court would summon all the responsible officials involved in this irregularity whether they are ministers or other governments high-ups. Justice Javed Iqbal observed that PQA was established in 1973 and after that nepotism ruled the roosts at it, as each and every minister and chairman favoured his own people. Illegal appointment of 688 people from only two respective constituencies and ignoring Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was not only wrong but was totally illegal, he maintained, adding that if it is not mal-practice then what is malpractice in the eyes of the government, he asked Attorney General Moulvi Anwarul Haq. The judge said unemployment was everywhere in the country but ignoring the entire country and hiring people from two constituencies was giving a bad impression. He asked the Attorney General to get the government realised this illegality and asked them to stop misusing of powers. He said such illegal practices would not be tolerated again and those involved in such illegalities will have to face the consequences. Abdul Jabbar Memon, the dysfunctional PQAs Secretary, submitted that since he had pointed out this irregularity, he was sacked. He said he has not been given his salary for the last five months and his family was suffering due to this injustice. The court noted that it has already been directed to the chairman not to stop the salary of Mr Memon and now the chairman has to ensure it. Memon submitted that Prime Minister had issued orders for his restoration but no attention had been paid to it. He said his life was in danger. Shaiq Usmani, counsel for PQA, submitted that the chairman was reappointed because of his expertise in the department. Memon, however, contended that he was reappointed even before his retirement from the Navy. He said Deputy Secretary Zameer Farooqi was also reappointed. The attorney general submitted that he has contacted the Prime Minister over the issue of illegal appointments. He said if the court allows, the government is ready to constitute an enquiry commission to examine the appointments. The court, however, said the time was over and now it would examine these appointments by its own. Justice Javed Iqbal also observed that reappointments would be treated as contempt of court.