KARACHI:
The practice of appointing employees on a contract basis in different government institutions and then refusing to regularise them has become a norm in our country. Such a trend deprives employees of their basic rights, ultimately forcing them to use the path of protest. Only after the courts intervene do governments bend down and regularise them. This obnoxious practice affects the performance of employees which in turn also adversely affects institutional performance. Efficiency decreases a great deal as employees no longer remain motivated.
The same has been happening in the Sindh Population Welfare Department, where male mobilisers of PWDs have been struggling to get their due rights for years. Since 2008, employees appointed on a contract basis were being denied their basic rights. When the court finally intervened, they were regularised year by year. At present, there are 1,173 male mobilisers, mostly all graduates. Of them, 932 were regularised during 2019-20. Unfortunately, they were appointed as Grade 1 officers by the government and their previous service was not counted. To be given such a low rank is unfair and humiliating for those who have served for more than 10 years.
Under these conditions, male mobilisers once again have referred to the court so that they are given a title as per their qualification and experience. The Chief Minister of Sindh is also requested to address this issue on a priority basis and address the concerns of male mobilisers so that they are able to make ends meet during such difficult times.
Abdul Jabbar
Badin
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2021.
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