ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday restrained the religious affairs ministry from inducting the Haj director general on an appeal filed by a candidate who claimed to have been dropped for being a woman.

IHC division bench, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan while hearing a petition of Saima Sabah, issued notices to the secretaries, religious affairs ministry and Establishment Division and sought their reply by Jan 11.

The court issued direction to both respondents not to issue notification for the appointment of any candidate till the said date.

Ms Sabah, a BS-20 officer of Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service, contended in the petition that she secured first position in the written test obtaining 71 marks out of 100 but she was dropped due to gender discrimination.

In the petition filed through advocate Ahsan Bhoon and Raja Mohammad Saif, Ms Sabah said after written test a summary was sent to the prime minister and sought permission for conducting fresh examination on account of the fact that enough competition was not generated.

The Prime Minister Office returned the summary to the religious affairs ministry with a direction to complete the recruitment process in accordance with rules.

Subsequently, the interview of the petitioner was scheduled on Oct 26. She learnt from sources that her name had been dropped.

The petitioner requested the court to issue direction to the ministry to declare her a successful candidate and issue her notification as appointment of DG Haj accordingly.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2022