Illegal appointments, promotions hallmark of Sindh Assembly

Sindh Assembly’s former secretary Hadi Bux Buriro secured grade 20 positions for all five of his sons with out-of-turn promotions within six years

Shafi Abbasi promoted from grade 11 to 19 overlooking seniority on every turn

Security guard goes from BPS 1 to BPS 18; PPP, PML-Q govts complicit in jaw dropping levels of corruption

A Pakistan Today investigation into the affairs of the Sindh Assembly has revealed flagrant violation of rules and some of the worst examples of out-of-turn promotions in the country’s history.

The documentary evidence regarding promotion of the provincial assembly staffers from 1998 till 2014 has unearthed massive violation of rules. The violation of law occurred during the governments of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) in Sindh.

Sindh Assembly’s former secretary Hadi Bux Buriro appointed all of his five sons during his service and they were all promoted from BPS-16 to BPS-20 in a short span of six years.

As per 1974 rules of the Sindh government, an employee should have experience of five years for promotion into BPS-18 from BPS-17, while a minimum experience of 12 years is required for promotion into BPS-19 from BPS-18. An ordinary serviceman needs to spend 20 years in his job for promotion into BPS-20.

Hadi Bux Buriro, who served as Sindh Assembly secretary for 15 years, appointed his son Ghulam Umar Farooque, the current Sindh Assembly secretary, as a researcher in BPS-16 on January 18, 2006. Within four months, Farooque was promoted to BPS-17 on May 24, 2006 and appointed assistant secretary.

Farooque had actually been appointed on a non-cadre position of researcher in BPS-16 but, later, he was appointed secretary with promotion in BPS-17. On June 27, 2009 he was promoted to BPS-19 from BPS-18 overlooking two dozen senior officers. In a short span of three years, he had reached in BPS-19 from BPS-16 and on January 30, 2013 he was promoted to BPS-20 from BPS-19 in a Finance Committee meeting and appointed special secretary.

Finally, Hadi Bux Buriro appointed his son to the post of secretary Sindh Assembly on November 8, 2013.

Muhammad Rashid, another son of Hadi Bux Buriro, was appointed in Sindh Assembly in BPS-16 on July 22, 2006, but he resigned from his office. On December 11, 2006, four months in his first post, he was recruited in BPS-16 as Assistant Protocol Officer (APO) again. He received another promotion into BPS-17 from BPS-16 on May 17, 2007 and was appointed a protocol officer. He received a prompt promotion to BPS-18 also. He had become officer of BPS-18 from BPS-16 within four years, bypassing many of his seniors.

The third son of Buriro, Muhammad Arshad alias Haji Arshad was appointed Assistant Security Officer (ASO) in grade 14 on January 18, 2006. Arshad, like his brother Rashid, was not happy with his grade and job and left his office. On December 1, 2006, he was once again appointed a reporter in grade 16. Within two months, he was granted out-of-turn promotion and became an officer of grade 18.

However, after blowback from officials of the concerned department, the provincial government had to take back the notice and announced that he had been promoted to grade 17. He also became Assistant Secretary with promotion in grade 17. As per rules, a reporter must spend 10 years in his job before he can become Assistant Secretary. Haji Arshad, however, received the appointment within two months.

On December 2, 2010, the post of Assistant Secretary was upgraded and he became officer of grade 18.

Another of Buriro’s sons, Abdul Majid was appointed in March 2007 in place of his brother Rashid after his resignation in grade 16. In December 2010, the post in which Majid had been appointed was upgraded and he was now working as a grade 17 officer.

Muzammilur Rehman, the fifth son of Buriro, was appointed as Assistant State Officer (ASO) on November 3, 2012 in grade 17. In January 2014, he was promoted to grade 18 in a Finance Committee meeting.

In addition to Buriro, other employees of the Sindh Assembly who enjoyed political backing, also received out of turn promotions. Shafi Abbasi was appointed as a Junior Translator in BPS-11 and on December 14, 2002, he was given out of turn promotion in BPS-17. On February 4, 2006, he was regularised and was given interim charge of Senior Reporter in place of Aftab Mehar.

On December 9, 2009, he was promoted in BPS-19 and was given charge of Additional Secretary overlooking nine senior officers. On March 13, 2013, the post of Additional Secretary upgraded and he was appointed as Additional Secretary-1. After a year, he was promoted to BPS-20 from BPS-19 in March 2014.

Muhammad Hassan Shah was directly appointed Assistant Secretary in BPS-17 in August 2006, ignoring 10 serving officers. On March 17, 2010 Secretary Sindh Assembly Hadi Bux told the Finance Committee meeting that the provincial legislature did not have a Research Officer.

The secretary said that the Punjab Assembly had a Director General (DG) Parliamentary Affairs and Research Officer of BPS-19. He requested to upgrade the post of Muhammad Hassan Shah in BPS-19 but the Finance Committee has turned down his suggestion.

On December 2, 2010, the post of Assistant Secretary was upgraded from BPS-17 to BPS-18 and Hassan Shah had received a promotion to grade 18 in just four months. On November 30, 2012, Muhammad Hassan Shah was appointed Deputy Secretary. In March 2013, Shah’s post was once again upgraded from BPS-18 to BPS-19 and in March 2014, he was appointed Additional Secretary in BPS-20.

Siraj Fatima was appointed as an English Reporter in 1998 during the tenure of speaker Sindh Assembly Nawab Mirza. She was appointed an Assistant Secretary on May 24, 2006 and within just two days, she was appointed Deputy Secretary on May 26, 2006. She is working as a Deputy Secretary in grade 19 and her name was included in the Finance Committee list for promotion in BPS-20.

Usman Ali Chachar was appointed Computer Manager in BPS-16 in 1999. On October 20, 1999, the Finance Committee abolished the post of Computer Manager Chachar continues to work without any post. In October 2002, he was once again appointed in BPS-16 as Assistant Director Information Technology (IT).

In April 2007, he was given out of turn promotion in BPS-17 and he assumed charge of Director IT. On December 2, 2010, the post of Director IT was upgraded to BPS-18 from BPS-17. On March 2013, his post was renamed and he became Deputy Secretary.

Sindh Assembly Assistant Secretary Muhammad Habib was appointed a guard in BPS-1 in 1982. During Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s first term as Sindh Chief Minister in 1989, he was promoted to BPS-5 and appointed as a Junior Clerk. Habib was promoted to BPS-11 from BPS-5 during governor rule in Sindh. He was again promoted from BPS-11 to BPS-16 during the second term of Syed Qaim Ali Shah on February 19, 2009 and was appointed a Superintendent. In March 2013, he was promoted in BPS-17. On April 1, 2013, he was promoted to BPS-18 and appointed Assistant Secretary of the Sindh Assembly.