SHC orders Sindh govt to grant promotions to lecturers within 20 days

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has once again hinted to take contempt of court action against the provincial government and ordered the relevant authorities to give promotions to lecturers across the province within 20 days, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The Sindh High Court’s judge Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the petition filed by Sindh Professors and Lecturers Association (SPLA) against the Sindh government for not granting scale and promotions to more than 12,000 professors and lecturers.

The court issued orders to grant promotions to lecturers of Grade 17 and 18 across Sindh within 20 days and warned to take contempt of court action against provincial chief secretary and secretary colleges.

During the hearing, Secretary Colleges told the court that a policy regarding promotions and time scale was prepared by the government. The secretary sought 15 days from the court to complete paperwork for data of Grade 17 to 18 lecturers.

Read: SHC hints at contempt action in lecturers’ promotion case

Justice Amjad Ali Sahito remarked that lecturers are demanding promotions, but what they would say about the standards of education. Justice Sahito continued that the standards of education will be known after witnessing the situation of Sindh colleges and their academic results.

He maintained that the standards of education have declined and lecturers were not ready to educate the people. The lecturers admitted that the education standards are dropped.

Secretary Colleges said that the government is ready to promote the lecturers but they must also perform their duties with honesty and responsibility.

Later, the court ordered the government to grant promotions to the educators within 20 days and adjourned the hearing.

It may be noted here that the educators of Sindh had filed a contempt of court plea in the SHC for not getting promotions.