An influential joint secretary of the Capital Administrative and Development Division (CAAD) has illegally occupied a part of the parking lot of a government college by permanently parking his two private vehicles, which is causing problems for the teachers and staff, it has been learnt. The official, who is supposed to look after the affairs of education institutions of the federal capital, is using his ‘powers’ to occupy a part of parking area of Government Commerce College H-8/4 where his two cars, a Baleno (NMQ 202) and a Vitz (IDN 768) are parked for the last six months. A reliable source at the college told Pakistan Today that whenever any professor raises objection he has to face consequences.
“We are facing shortage of parking space and we have to park our vehicles outside the college due to this illegal occupation,” a professor said, wishing not to be named, as he was not allowed to talk with media. The sources said by using his good offices, the official, a professor, had manage to grabbed the post of joint secretary without passing the CSS exams; however, he says his appointment was legal as he was appointed by the prime minister and the Establishment Division notified his post. It is relevant to note that in the past too, the said professor remained a controversial character among the teachers’ community. According to sources, before joining the CAAD, he was working in the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) and some professors wrote poems against him during his stay in the FDE. The sources said Professor Tariq of H/8 College was suspended for writing a poem against Rafiq Tahir, as he exposed his alleged corruption.
The college teachers, who have been protesting for the last 10 days against the non-implementation of the package announced by the prime minister last year, are considering the joint secretary as a main hurdle in the way of fulfillment of their demands. Even on Tuesday, hundreds of teachers while protesting outside of the H-8/4 Commerce College raised slogans against him. Talking to Pakistan Today, Joint Secretary Prof Rafiq Tahir said because of the shortage of space in his house, he had parked his two vehicles in the college. To a query, he said he had been struggling for resolving the teachers’ up-gradation issue. “Due to my efforts, the time scale formula for the up-gradation of teachers was approved. The file is now in the Ministry of Finance and the matter will be resolved in a day or two.”
