Long live political connections!

KARACHI – Although the Sindh government sent back 47 officers of different grades to their original departments on January 27, around 30 officers of grades 18, 19 and 20 are still working in irrelevant departments on important positions.
A constitutional petition has also been filed in the Sindh High Court (SHC) against these irregularities and all proceedings of the petition have been completed. The decision has been reserved by the SHC single bench of Justice Shahid Anwer Bajwa.
Petitioner Imran Soomro and other officers in their petition through their lawyer Barrister Zameer Gumhro had challenged the incorporation of the 30 officers and prayed to the court to declare it illegal. The petitioners further submitted that due to this act of the provincial government, other officers have become disheartened and depressed.
Many examples of such favouritism can be observed in Sindh’s top bureaucracy. A grade-20 officer, Rasool Bux Phulpoto, working as a secretary in the Works and Services Department, was absorbed from the Industries Department. He has never passed the Sindh Public Service Commission examination or any other departmental examination.
He was first appointed as a grade-11 assistant in the Industries Department and using to his political backing, succeeded in acquiring the post of secretary of one of the most important departments of the province without passing any assessment. Similarly, M Kaleem Makki, a Grade-20 officer of the Industries Department, is currently posted as the Social Work secretary.
Ali Hassan Brohi of the Federal Sports Board is working as secretary at the Supplies and Price Control Department. A retired officer, Abid Ali Shah is working as secretary at the Zakat and Usher Department. Ali Azhar Baloch of the Pakistan Steel Mills is posted as Cooperation Department secretary. Sindh Public Service Commission Deputy Secretary Jaffar Abbasi is currently the Thatta DCO.
Dr Shafaqat Abbasi of the Health Department is the Tando Allahyar DCO while a physiotherapist at the Health department, Dabeeral Hassan, is currently posted as the Excise and Taxation Department director (administration).