KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has issued contempt notices after finding that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) continues to openly defy judicial orders by allowing Mr. Tahir Abbas, a BS-19 Customs cadre officer, to function as Director General of the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) despite a categorical court verdict declaring his appointment illegal.
On Friday, a division bench, hearing a petition filed by Dr. Muhammad Tariq Khan, the senior-most Director Technical of DPP, expressed concern that the respondent, Tahir Abbas was still working as DG in violation of its September 18 order. The court granted urgency and fixed the matter for October 10, 2025, directing the alleged contemnors to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated.
The controversy over the DPP has already rocked Parliament, where the Senate Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research lashed out at the ministry for bypassing both the judiciary and legislative authority. Lawmakers had accused powerful lobbies within the Prime Minister’s Office and MNFSR of protecting their “blue-eyed bureaucrats” and blocking the lawful appointment of the senior-most Director Technical as DG, a statutory requirement under departmental rules and Pakistan’s obligations to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
Despite repeated assurances from ministry officials that the court’s decision would be implemented, the continued presence of Tahir Abbas in the top slot has escalated tensions. His alleged involvement in corruption, nepotism, and abuse of authority has already been flagged in Senate proceedings, while exporters warn that Pakistan’s agricultural trade is at risk due to non-compliance with international phytosanitary standards.
The petitioner, Dr. Tariq Khan, has accused the ministry of malafide intentions, alleging that vested interests are undermining the integrity of the department by surrendering senior technical posts to the surplus pool while retaining non-core administrative positions. The businessmen community has also raised alarms, pointing to declining exports of rice, sesame, mangoes, and corn to the EU, China, and Iran, as well as a looming wheat shortfall.
With the High Court now stepping in with contempt proceedings, legal experts say the ministry risks severe consequences if it continues to flout judicial authority. “This is not just about an individual’s appointment, it is about the sanctity of the court’s orders and the credibility of Pakistan’s regulatory institutions,” said a senior lawyer monitoring the case.
The next hearing on October 10 will decide whether contempt charges are formally framed against those responsible, a move that could set a precedent for accountability in bureaucratic appointments long marred by favoritism and political patronage.
