“You serve us and we will serve you” this is what the outgoing Pakistan People’s Party-led Sindh government told its officials and awarded out-of-turn-promotions to more than 50 employees of different cadres to the senior most positions.
Interestingly, the blessings were showered upon the blue-eyed officials in the last days of the Sindh government and the officials ‘what the sources claimed’ were promoted/absorbed into different cadres ‘illegally’ violating the set rules of procedures.
The officials that include non-secretariat group were absorbed and promoted to top bureaucratic slots as the said officials served the PPP leadership since their government was formed in year 2008. However, now they will enjoy the luxuries as they did in the past until their retirement, Pakistan Today has learnt.
This move by the outgoing government, the senior bureaucrats opined, had deprived the actual employees of the secretariat group of their fundamental rights, who have come through a long and tough competitive examinations and trainings by the National Institute of Public Administration and the Lahore Academy meant to train the bureaucrats.
The officials told Pakistan Today that there are total 16 seats of grade-20 and these seats were to be filled up by promotion of the junior ones however there were eleven outsiders who were granted promotions on political grounds. Besides, a large number of officials from various departments were absorbed and promoted to grate 19 on key posts creating a sense of deprivation amongst the officials waiting for promotions for the last many years.
As per the rule, there is no provision in the Sindh Civil Servants Act, 1973, and rules framed for absorption of persons who were not covered under the definition of ‘Civil Servant”. And hence the absorption of the official is violation of Section-24 of the SCS Act, 1973 that could not press into service for their absorption, the officials opined.
Interestingly, the PPP-led government had promulgated an Ordinance dated May 4, 2011, terming these absorptions as legal and valid retrospectively.
The Civil Services Cadres are created to recruit efficient and qualified persons through a process of recruitment – competitive examinations to effectively run the government machinery in accordance with the principles of good governance. But, the back door absorptions have not only sent wrong message to prospective candidates but also deformed the cadre formation and demoralized the PSS officers who have properly joined the cadre through due process of recruitment.
As per the official documents exclusively available with the Pakistan Today, Major (r) Aftab Lodhi, presently posted as Secretary (BS-20) to the Sindh governor, Governor Secretariat, after retirement from Pakistan Army, was re-employed on contract in 1991. Later on his contract was extended till date of superannuation. This was done in 1994 and hi superannuation was due on January 31, 2012.
Ali Hassan Brohi, presently awaiting posting in S GAD was an officer in BPS-18 in Pakistan Sports Board under the Ministry of Sports and Culture, Government of Pakistan. He came to the Sindh government on deputation basis in 1994. He was absorbed in 1995 and thereafter promoted firstly as additional secretary and then as secretary.
Rasool Bux Phulpoto presently waiting for posting was an officer in the education department, government of Sindh, was appointed on adhoc basis in People’s Works Programme. He was brought to the government of Sindh on deputation basis and was posted as additional secretary. He was absorbed in 1995 and regularized in 2002.
Syed Abid Ali Shah posted as secretary zakat and ushr department BS-20, Kashmore, is an ex-employee of Ghee Corporation of Pakistan from where he obtained golden hands shake scheme. He came to the Sindh government on deputation for three years in 1999. He was subsequently absorbed in service in the provincial secretariat as additional secretary and then promoted as secretary.
SM Kaleem Makki presently posted as secretary public health engineering (BS-20) was appointed as PD quality control Sindh Small Industries Corporation, industries department government of Sindh, in the year 1994 and he was declared surplus after abolition of the post and absorbed as economist-cum-additional secretary (an ex-cadre post) in 2005. Subsequently, the post was taken up as per cadre schedule and the officer was termed as cadre officer in secretariat service and was promoted as secretary (BS-20).
Muhammad Jaffer Abbasi was appointed as deputy secretary Public Service Commission in BS-17. Subsequently, his post was upgraded in BS-18. He was posted in government of Sindh as deputy secretary on deputation basis in 1999 and subsequently he was absorbed in secretariat service in 2005 and he was assigned seniority from the date of deputation.
Dr Muhamamd Ali awaiting posting in SGA&CD was an employee of Zarai Traqiati Bank Limited when he was taken as special secretary in chief minister secretariat in 2005 where he was absorbed in 2006 in BS-20 in secretariat service.
Kashif Siddiqi, employee (PRO) of Board of Intermediate and Secondary education Karachi, was posted on deputation basis as deputy secretary home in 2006 where he was absorbed as deputy secretary and given out-of-turn promotion in 2007 in BS-19 against a future vacancy.
Aftab Ahmed Mallah posted as deputy secretary (BS-18) excise and taxation department was working as dental surgeon (BS-17) in the health department, government of Sindh. He was posted as deputy secretary in the health department. Then he was allowed promotion as senior dental surgeon bypassing many senior dental surgeons and then absorbed in PSS Cadre in 2008.
Abdul Ghani Jokhio, an employee of SCUG local government department, posted as Director (F&A) Secretary (BS-19) LDA was absorbed as additional secretary in BS-19 in PSS Cadre in 2008.
Interestingly, Maqbool Memon, who served as coordinator to President Asif Zardari’s sister MNA Faryal Talpur was absorbed in EX-PCS BS-18. Rafique Qureshi, officer of Ex-PCS (BS-18) was promoted out-of-turn promotion to BS-19. Suhail Ahmed Qureshi, officer of PSS (BS-19) was promoted out-of-turn in BS-20. Abdul Wahab Shaikh and a large number of other officials were also given out-of-turn promotions on political basis.
