Supreme Court nullifies SPSC exams, interviews from 2013-16

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan has nullified examinations and interviews conducted under the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) since 2013 and issued fresh orders for candidates to undergo the same recruitment procedure, ARY News reported.

The apex court order was issued by the bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Essa. It applies on candidates appearing in examinations and interviews under SPSC from 2013 to date.

The SC bench ordered the authorities to re-conduct written test of the candidates during the said period. According to figures available, as many as 27,000 candidates took part in the exams during the last four years.

The court observed that appointments made during the said period were not transparent.

The Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on the matter after wrapping up hearing in the case in February this year. The SC had taken suo motu notice last year on an application challenging appointment of the SPSC chairman and eight other employees claiming their hiring ‘against merit’.

Later in October, the SC bench headed by then Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali issued the directives, restraining the SPSC from appointing or selecting new employees in government departments.

The Sindh government, in its reply, denied the allegations that the SPSC chairman and other members were not competent to run the body.

Advocate General for Sindh Zamir Ghumro contended before the court that putting bar on future appointments would adversely affect Sindh since the commission had to appoint 3,000 doctors in the province.