LHC dismisses plea against passport DG appointment; Advocate Safdar Pirzada successfully defends posting

LAHORE (Staff Reporter) — The Lahore High Court (LHC) dismissed a petition challenging the appointment of Immigration and Passports Director General Mustafa Jamal Qazi, after hearing arguments led by Advocate Safdar Shaheen Pirzada, who successfully defended the government’s decision.

Justice Khalid Ishaq had reserved the verdict a day earlier, which was announced on Friday. The court upheld the legality of the DG’s appointment, finding no merit in the petitioner’s claims.

The petition, filed by Advocate Asif Ali Khitchi, questioned the appointment of Mr. Qazi, arguing that he was a BS-20 officer serving in the Sindh government and was later transferred on deputation to the federal government as joint secretary at the National Health Services Regulations & Coordination (NHSR&C) in Islamabad. The petitioner contended that Mr. Qazi’s subsequent appointment as DG of Immigration and Passports on August 18, 2023, by the caretaker government was in violation of the law.

However, Advocate Pirzada, representing the respondent DG, argued that the petitioner lacked a valid cause of action and had not approached the court with clean hands. He maintained that the appointment was made strictly in accordance with the law and relevant rules governing deputation and postings.

A federal law officer also supported the respondent’s stance, submitting that the appointment was in line with the recent amendments to the Civil Servants Act, which authorize the prime minister to make such appointments.

After hearing both sides, the court found the petitioner’s challenge to be baseless and dismissed the plea, thereby upholding the appointment of Mustafa Jamal Qazi as the lawful Director General of Immigration and Passports.