Clarification – Appointment under 17A dt 14.11.2024
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Subject: Appointment under 17A
I am directed to refer to your department’s letter No. SO(B&E-II)O-14/2023-30799-29136 dated 31.10.2024 on the subject noted above.
2. The Regulations Wing, S&GAD has examined the matter and it is observed that:-
(i) Rule 17-A has been omitted from the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment & Conditions of Service) Rules, 1974 after approval of the Provincial Cabinet Punjab / Chief Minister, vide notification dated 24.07.2024. The said notification has also been published in “The Punjab Gazette” on 26.07.2024. It was a policy decision of the Government. No appointment under Rule 17-A can be made w.e.f. 24.07.2024 (the date of approval of the Competent Authority) as the said rule no more exists now.
(ii) The August Supreme Court of Pakistan in a Civil Petition No. 3390 of 2021 titled General Post Office, Islamabad V/s Muhammad Jalal has already issued judgment dated 18.10.2024 through the Apex Court, inter alia, observed that:-
(iii) The appointment of a widow/widower, wife/husband or child of a civil servant in different grades on contract or regular basis, without open advertisement, competition and merit is also violative of Article 18 of the Constitution which provides that subject to such qualification, if any, as may be prescribed by law, every citizen shall have the right to enter upon any lawful profession or occupation and to conduct any lawful trade or business.
Appointments obstructing ordinary qualified citizens to compete for entering into the profession of the service of Pakistan in accordance with their ability and eligibility also violate this fundamental right, and if such appointments are made they negate equality of opportunity, competition, merit and also defeat the object of good governance.
(iv) Whereunder appointments without open advertisement, competition and merit, of the widow/widower, wife/husband or child of civil servants in different grades, who die during service or become permanently disabled/invalidated/incapacitated for further service and take retirement from service, are declared to be discriminatory and ultra vires Articles 3, 4, 5(2), 18, 25(1) and 27 of the Constitution.
The prescribed Federal and Provincial authorities are directed to withdraw the same. However, it is clarified that the instant judgment shall not affect the appointments already made of the widow/widower, wife/husband or child of deceased or retired civil servants. It is further clarified that this judgment shall not affect the policies, rules or compensation packages of the Federal and Provincial Governments for the benefit of the legal heirs of martyred personnel of the law enforcement agencies and of civil servants who die on account of terrorist activities.
(v) Since the August Supreme Court of Pakistan through the above said judgment already clarified that the instant judgment shall not affect the appointments already made of the widow/widower, wife/husband or child of deceased or retired civil servants, hence, the appointment orders already issued before 24.07.2024 are fait-accompli and such matters need to be decided by the relevant Administrative Departments at their own level because in view of clear direction of Hon’ble Court, the Regulations Wing, S&GAD is wanting in such cases.
