KARACHI: Despite Sindh the Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s claims of he being the torch-bearer of merit, many controversial Sindh Information Department’s Information Officers (IOs) of BS-17, who were illegally appointed in 2013, are still enjoying deputation and other heavy perks and privileges as media consultants (BS-19) in clear violation of Supreme Court orders, it was learned on Tuesday.
The sources told Pakistan Today that as many as 42 IOs were directly appointed in the tenure of the caretaker government in early months of 2013, violating all the rules and regulation and bypassing the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC). Most tellingly, these appointments were also in contradiction to the ban imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Soon after their appointment at BS-17 scale, the Sindh Accountant General office objected to the recruitment process and forwarded a letter No: CAA-IV/2012-2013/Contract Appt./6691 to Service General Administration and Coordination Department’s (SGACD) Secretary.
“The policy of the SGACD on the matter including clarification regarding ban period is still awaited. In this regard, the necessary clarification was also sought from the ECP, which has been received vide ECP No F.2(2)/2013-Cord Islamabad dated June 27, 2013,” the letter read.
Initially, the advertisements were published in the local newspapers with a condition that candidates must have MA in Mass Communication, however, the condition was changed within few days and new condition MA Social Sciences was introduced. The interviews for the jobs were held secretly, but the electronic media reported the news that the interviews continued till late in the night.
According to the sources, these information officers were appointed purely on contract basis for a period of two years while they received salaries from the secret funds of the information department for months.
Again, these contractual employees were given a year-long extension of their contract by former Information Secretary Zulfiqar Shalwani.
Among others, a close friend of jailed Pakistan People’s Party leader Sharjeel Memon and former news anchor of KTN news Sikandar Ali got an extension at the most lucrative Media Consultant post for the office of Law Minister and Sindh Advocate General for two more years enjoying heavy perks and privilege of the BS-19 officer.
Interestingly, Sikandar Ali has also been an active member of the Pakistan Media Club (PMC) and has has been visiting many countries as a working journalist without seeking prior ex-Pakistan leave from the Information and Archives Department, which is against the rules of procedures.
Recently, Sikandar Ali visited Turkey as PMC leader along with a number of other journalists from all over the country.
Other IOs who have been enjoying lucrative posts in violation of the apex courts orders included Information Department Deputy Director posted on deputation basis at Governor House from the past few years, Thatta District Information Officer Jaffar Panhwar posted on deputation in the Higher Education Commission and others.
Pakistan Today repeatedly tried to contact Sindh Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, however, his cell phone remained unattended till the filing of the report.