KARACHI – The appointment of over two dozen officers in the Sindh government on high-ranking posts due to their political affiliation was declared illegal by the Sindh High Court on Thursday.
At least four secretaries of different departments, three additional secretaries, three district coordination officers (DCOs), Lyari Development Authority managing director and directors are among the list.
A division bench comprising Justices Shahid Anwer Bajwa and Tufail H Ibrahim declared the verdict, which was reserved a couple of weeks ago until both sides completed their arguments.
Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Director Nasimul Ghani Sehto and 49 other officers of the provincial government had challenged the appointment of these officers through their lawyer Barrister Zamir Ghumro.
These officers were transferred to the Sindh government from many federal departments and corporations, including financial institutions and banks, due to their political connections.
Services Secretary Rasool Bux Phulpoto was originally appointed as Industries Department stenographer, and due to his political affiliation with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), he was inducted into the Provincial Government Secretariat.
Maj (retd) Aftab Lodhi was inducted into the Sindh government as Governor Secretariat Special Secretary; whereas Abid Ali Shah, who had retired from the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), was absorbed into the provincial government as Zakat and Ushr Secretary.
Supplies Bureau Secretary Ali Hassan Brohi was originally the Sports Board Director; whereas Health Department officer Dr Dabeerul Hassan is now working as Excise and Taxation (E&T) Director.
Abdul Ghani Jokhio used to be a Local Government employee and was absorbed into the Sindh Government Secretariat as Mines and Minerals Acting Secretary; whereas Cooperation Secretary Ali Azhar Baloch used to be a PSM employee.
Sindh Public Service Commission Assistant Secretary Jaffar Abbasi was inducted into the provincial government as Thatta DCO; whereas Tando Allahyar DCO Dr Shafqat Abbasi used to be Health Department officer.
Agriculture Development Bank officer Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, who was also inducted into the Sindh government, used to be Chief Minister (CM)’s Secretary in the previous government; whereas Dr Imtiaz Mallah, brother of CM’s Special Assistant Imtiaz Mallah, used to be grade-17 dentist in the Health Department, and after his absorption into the Provincial Government Secretariat, he was appointed as Agriculture Deputy Secretary.
Public Safety Commission ad hoc employee Ahmed Solangi, due to his political connections, succeeded in occupying the seat of E&T Director; whereas Kashif Siddiqui, brother of a Muttahida Qaumi Movement minister, was appointed as ACE Director.
Sources in the Sindh government told Pakistan Today that due to these political appointments, absorption and deputations, the performance of the PPP-led provincial government has been adversely affected.
These appointments on political considerations have raised many eyebrows, and many career-oriented officers and those who believed in merit have been disheartened. These matters have also been noticed by the upper court, and many verdicts have also been passed against these irregularities.
