ISLAMABAD: A petition has been filed with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking details of Pakistani civil servants working for international financial institutions (IFls).

The petitioner sought directions to the establishment division to provide him the details under Article 19-A of the Constitution which ensures right to information.

Petitioner Anjum Mubashar Mughal holds dual nationalities of Pakistan and Belgium.

Through his counsel Yasir Chaudhry, the petitioner said he was an indirect taxpayer and directly aggrieved by the respondent (establishment division)`s decision to allow the civil servants to join the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, IMF and other international institutions instead of serving in Pakistan.

The petition said the government of Pakistan incurs a heavy expenditure on civil servants` recruitment and training.

On Feb 5, the petitioner said he wrote to the secretary establishment division seeking the details but did not get any response. This was a breach of Article 19-A of the Constitution, he contended.

Mr Mughal said the establishment division allows government officers `ex-Pakistan` leave for working in international financial institutions.

He said these officers receive their salaries, perks and family accommodations from the government of Pakistan and are also simultaneously paid by the international institutions.

`The interests of these officers are mostly with the international institutions, instead of Pakistan,` he alleged.

The petition said the matter was of public importance and the respondent was legally bound to provide information to him under the law. The petitioner sought a list of in-service civil servants who are at present serving in the WB, ADB and IMF etc.

He requested the court to direct the secretary establishment division to furnish details of expenditure on the recruitment and training of these civil servants as well as their present remuneration, salaries, allowances and other facilities.