Appeals on Seniority of Sindh Police Officers Dismissed

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has dismissed appeals related to the seniority of Sindh police officers, upholding the earlier decision of the Sindh Service Tribunal.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar announced the verdict, maintaining the tribunal’s ruling and affirming the restoration of seniority as it stood prior to 2019. The court declared the restoration of seniority to be a constitutional right.

The Supreme Court rejected the appeals filed by the Sindh government and ruled that the affected police officers are entitled to timely promotions based on their restored seniority.

In its judgment, the court noted that the Sindh Service Tribunal had decided in favor of the officers, observing that they were dismissed from service in 1991 on political grounds. In 1994, the Inspector General of Sindh reinstated the officers with effect from their original dates of appointment.

The court further stated that while reinstatement had been ordered without financial benefits, the officers’ original seniority was to remain intact. However, the 2019 seniority list altered their dates of appointment without issuing show-cause notices, a move the court termed unlawful.

It is noteworthy that the Sindh government had argued that seniority should be linked to appointments made during 1991–1992 rather than 1990. The tribunal had earlier declared the 2019 seniority list illegal and ordered the restoration of the officers’ seniority from 1990.