Supreme Court Seeks Government’s Response on Armed Forces Officers’ Direct Entry into Civil Service

Islamabad:The Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed the federal government to submit a response regarding the inclusion of Armed Forces officers into the civil service without a written examination. The court issued a notice under Section 3 of the Civil Service Rules 1956 and instructed the government to provide its reply within three weeks.
The petitioner’s lawyer argued that while civilians are required to undergo both a written exam and an interview to join the Central Superior Services (CSS), officers from the Armed Forces are admitted based solely on the interview, which he claimed violates the constitutional principle of equality.
During the hearing, Justice Ali Baqar Najafi questioned the petitioner’s lawyer, asking, “Are you embarrassed by being a lawyer? Which of your rights are being affected by this?”
Following the proceedings, the court issued a notice to the federal government and adjourned the hearing for three weeks.