Gulf between PMS, PAS officers widens over DMO’s death

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–PMS officers claim RY Khan district monitoring officer died due to ‘callous attitude’ of PAS servants

–Write to CM over demotivating factors for PMS officers

 

LAHORE: Officers of the Provincial Management Services (PMS) are furious over the demise of their colleague which, according to them, occurred due to the “apartheid and callous attitude” of officers of Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS), the erstwhile District Management Group (DMG).

According to PMS Officers Association, officer Chaudhry Mukhtar, who was posted as the District Monitoring Officer (DMO) of Rahim Yar Khan, passed away due to a heart attack.

The association has alleged that it was an act of absolute cruelty on part of the additional chief secretary (ACS) and AS Admin of Services and General Administration (S&GAD) to transfer him from Lodhran to Rahim Yar Khan despite knowing that he was a heart patient and the fact that he had cried before the ACS and Admin AS not to transfer him.

According to PMS Officers Association Secretary General Naveed Mirza, on Monday, around 80 to 90 PMS officers and office-bearers of the association gathered in the front lawn of the Chief Secretary’s office and registered their protest in this regard. He said they also met ACS Tariq Najeeb Najmi and recorded their protest. Naveed has said the chief secretary will now hold a formal meeting with the office-bears of association on Friday.

“PMS officer Chaudhry Mukhtar died due to the callous attitude of the PAS officers and his issue was not even considered on humanitarian ground. Had a PAS officer been a cardiac patient, the PAS officers would never have transferred him,” he claimed.

Speaking to Pakistan Today, PMS officer Talha Saeed, who has been posted as the Assistant Commissioner in Darya Khan Tehsil of Bhakkar District, came hard on the attitude of PAS officers and condemned the “murder” of Chaudhry Mukhtar. He said the PMS officers will wear black armbands in protest against PAS officers and demise of their colleague.

Punjab ACS Tariq Najeen Najmi could not be contacted for a comment despite repeated attempts.

Meanwhile, PMS Officers’ Association Punjab has written a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzadar to remind the government of its obligations of good governance and improved service delivery from time to time. The letter titled “Demotivating factors for the PMS officers of Punjab” states that different facts and figures urge the government to give due share to PMS officers for better governance.

The letter further states the PMS officers feel ignored and suppressed because of their poor career progression and low pay packages.

The PMS officers have to wait for 15 to 20 years for their first career progression from BS-17 to 18, which is proving to be a major demotivating factor for the younger lot, the letter said.