Pakistan Agriculture Research Council: Govt dept fires 500 employees

Those sacked feel they have been victim of a tussle between food minister and ex-PARC chief.

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (Parc) has fired over 500 workers alleged to have been recruited illegally, sources told The Express Tribune.

The employees feel they have been victim of the tug of war between ex-chairman Dr Zafar Altaf and Minster for Food and Agriculture Nazar Mohammad Gondal.

The PARC board of governors held a marathon seven-hour meeting on Tuesday night to review the organisation’s performance, funding and the issue of illegal appointments.

The meeting was chaired by Nazar Gondal. As the board of governors decided to sack the 500 workers on grounds of illegal appointment, it came as little surprise.

“The issues between the minister and ex-chairman are old and have been dragging for years, but it’s sad to see that employees had to suffer at their expense,” a source at Parc told The Express Tribune. “The new chairman won the position on the recommendation of Gondal and will predictably do the minister’s bidding. Just because we were hired by Dr Zafar Altaf does not make our appointments illegal,” the source added.

These employees in grade-17 and above who were removed by the board include consultants, scientists and researchers. “We are seeking legal advice as unions exist for grade-1 to 16 and we are above that,” said the source.

These employees had served under Altaf for two years and were sacked on grounds of illegality. “It is sad to see that an employee, who has received a call letter after having gone through a review committee, is suddenly fired subject to his ‘illegal appointment’,” added the source.

He said that the enmity between the ex-chairman and Gondal was not just personal but professional as well, adding that if their voices are not heard they will challenge the decision in court and will not let personal grudges affect the lives of hundreds of employees.

An official from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture told The Express Tribune that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had sent instructions regarding ‘illegal appointees’.

He said the matter had also been raised in the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Food and Agriculture and an inquiry committee formed to probe the matter and present its findings.

The official said cases were put up for review of those people who were working at Parc irrespective of their deputation tenure being over and also of those who were hired on posts that were not even advertised.

The meeting concluded with the decision that a legal expert will be hired to look into the matter and most likely the fate of these employees will be decided within a week. “Parc is an independent body and the chairman can take the decision and inform the ministry,” the official added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2011.