' NAZAR MUHAMMAD SHAIKH (MEMBER).--- These appeals contain identical question of law and are, therefore, being disposed of by this single Judgment.
2. Appellant Sher Khan has filed this appeal under section 4 of the Service Tribunals Act of 1973 to assail the respondent's order dated 24-11-1997. Appellant filed departmental appeal on 08-1-1998 which was rejected by the respondents vide letter dated 9-2-1998.
3. Before the case could come up for regular hearing the respondents-Organization i,e, United Bank Limited (U. B. L) has been privatized w,e,f, 19-10-1992 vide Government of Pakistan's notification dated 18-10-2002.
4. The learned counsel for the respondents stated that in view of the privatization of the respondents-Organization, the FST has ceased to have jurisdiction in terms of section 2-A of the Service Tribunals Act of 1973. He also referred to the rulings of this Tribunal in Appeal No,898(K)(CE) of 2002 (S. Iqbal Hussain v. U.B.L.), 693(K) of 1997 (Waseem and others v. U.B.L.), 824(L) of 1998 (M.
Yousaf Qureshi and others v. U.B.L.) wherein similar view was taken. The learned counsel for the respondents has also cited the judgment of the apex Court in C.Ps.Nos.2767-L, 3030-L of 2000 and 157-L of 2001 where their Lordships recognized that with the privatization of the Muslim Commercial Bank the FST's jurisdiction was ousted.
5. It has been now conclusively held that after the Privatization of the United Bank Limited, FST has lost its jurisdiction and in the light of provisions of sections 28 and 31 of the Privatization Commission Ordinance of 2000 all the pending cases shall now come within the ambit of the jurisdiction of the Honourable High Court. Section 42 of the said Ordinance also provides that the provisions of Privatization Ordinance shall have effect of overriding all other laws.
6. In view of the above facts the appeals stand abated, appellants may agitate their grievances before the proper legal forum. These appeals are, therefore, disposed of accordingly.
7. This judgment shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Appeals IC Nos.155(K) of 1999 and 483(K)(CE) of 2000.
8. No orders as to costs. Parties be informed accordingly.