According to media reports, a Bench of the Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Establishment Division to furnish a list of retired civil servants who have been re-employed by the government after their superannuation.
In Pakistan, the age of superannuation stipulated in the Civil Servants Act 1973 is 60 years. It means that a civil servant who has completed 60 years of his recorded age cannot continue in the service of Pakistan, under Section 14 of the Civil Servants Act. However, this rule is blatantly violated in practice. Favourite retired civil servants and army officers are appointed in various organisations under the control of government generously, without any regard to established norms, rules and laws.
The most sought after positions are in the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission (PMIC), Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), provincial public service commissions, Federal Service Tribunal (FST), provincial services tribunals, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), regulatory authorities, National School of Public Policy, National Institutes of Management, Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC), Pakistan Steel Mills, Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Planning Commission of Pakistan, NAB, etc.
It may be interesting to note that the Chairman NAB, Chairman PMIC and Secretary/Chief Executive of the BISP are in late seventies and eighties. They are holding positions concerned with the affairs of the federal government, thus in violation of the provisions of the law.
There is no secret about it that these appointments are made on political and personal considerations without regard to merit and law. Many federal secretaries manipulate prestigious and lucrative appointments after retirement. These appointments not only breed frustration in the civil services but are also against Article 25 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This is the context of the petition of Mr Khushdil Khan, who has been relocated from the Interior Division.
If we want rule of law and good governance in the country, merit and only merit must prevail in appointments and promotions. There is also urgent need to evolve an oversight mechanism for monitoring crucial and strategic appointments in the government organisations.
ASGHAR MAHMOOD
Islamabad
