The Planning Commission has rejected the recommendations of Special Cabinet Committee headed by Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khursheed Shah regularizing the services of 2,000 employees working on seventeen projects of Ministry of Food Security and Research. Sources in the Ministry of Food Security said the secretary, Shafqat Naghmi, had issued necessary orders for the regularization of the services of these employees and with the refusal of the Planning Commission the orders have become ineffective.
According to details, 2,000 employees working on various projects were removed from services after the passage of the 18th Amendment in the constitution and devolution of the Food Ministry to provinces. The affected employees approached the special cabinet committee which after considering all the record ordered their immediate restoration and payment of eight months salary. After their restoration, the secretary for Food Security and Research approached the Finance Ministry and Planning Commission and also met with the concerned officials on Friday. During the meeting, Planning Commission Secretary Asif Bajwa refused to release salary of the employees and said he did not accept the decisions of the Cabinet Committee.