Sidelined? Several high-ranking officers working as OSDs

A couple face disciplinary action, but most awaiting postings for years

ISLAMABAD: Around 34 government officers in grades 20 to 22 from different service groups are currently officers on special duty (OSD), meaning that they have not been posted anywhere.

Some of the officers have been OSD since 2013, meaning that the government has been unable to find them any suitable posting but still pays them full salaries, costing the public exchequer millions of rupees every month.

A source said that some of the OSDs were considering voluntary retirement due to sheer frustration.

According to documents available with Daily Express, Muhammad Arif Azeem, a BS-22 officer of the Secretariat Group, was made OSD on April 1, 2016. He will reach superannuation age on October 11, making chances for a posting slim.

Similarly, Malik Khuda Baksh Awan, a BS-22 officer of the Police Group, was made on March 15, 2016.

Disciplinary proceedings

The documents also show that two officers are OSD because of disciplinary proceedings — BS-21 Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS) officer Shafqatur Rehman Ranjha was made OSD on August 5,and BS-20 PAS officer Azizur Rehman has been OSD since June 16.

On leave

Hammad Yaqoob, a grade-21 PAS officer, was made OSD on 15 August 2013, and he has been on leave ever since.

Similarly, grade-20 PAS officer Rashid Mansoor was made OSD on June 1, 2012, and eventually in 2016, went on leave for one-year on the fourth anniversary of becoming OSD.

BS-20 PAS officer Sumaira Samad has been on leave and OSD since August 8, 2016, while BS-20 Police officer Tariq Nawaz Malik has been OSD and on leave since June 10.

Training

Two BS-20 Secretariat Group officers — Saleem Khan and Neelofar Hafeez — are OSD because they are taking training courses at NDU. Khan became OSD on April 25, and Hafeez on June 24.

The rest

According to the documents, Talat Altaf Khan, a grade-21 officer, was made OSD on June 27, 2016, while Dr Tariq Ahmed Khokar, a grade-21 officer, was made OSD on September 04, 2013 and since then his services have been put on hold. According to the source, the officers continue to draw salaries.

Similarly, Sardar Abdul Majid Khan and Akhtar Hassan Khan, both grade-21 officers , were made OSD in 2014 and their services were yet to be retained while Ghulam Haider Jamali was made OSD on March 12, 2016.

PAS grade 21 officer Tahir Raza Naqvi was made OSD on February 9, and Sohail Akbar Shah on March 28. Mukhtar Hussain, the last BS-21 officer on the list, is also awaiting posting.

Muhammad Hashim Tareen became OSD on September 30, 2015; Imran Nasir Khan on July 22, 2015; Aftab Ahmed Maneka on June 21, 2016,

Similarly, Shabbir Ahmed, Joudat Ayaz, Tashfeen Khan,   Azim Khan, Usman Zakaria, Syed Imtiaz Altaf, Ghaniur Rehaman, Usman Mumtaz, Muhammad Azam, Abdul Rauf Khan, Muhammad Khurshid, Muhammad Salman and Azra Jamali are all OSD and awaiting postings.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 17^th, 2016.