Rescuers’ regularisation policy remains defunct

Four rescuers serving at the Punjab Emergency Service (Rescue 1122) on a contractual basis for around a decade have been dismissed from the job after the expiry of their contracts.

A large number of rescuers, members of one of the communities performing at the forefront in during the global pandemic coronavirus, have termed the move demoralising as well as in contradiction with The Punjab Regularisation of Service Act 2018 and the government of Punjab’s policies issued in 2010 and 2013.

A rescuer told The Express Tribune that at over 100 such rescuers had been dismissed from the job during one and a half years. Sharing the ordeal, one officer said that in absence of service structure and rules, they felt highly insecure. This sense was aggravated owing to their nature of job; dealing with emergencies where a lot of risk was involved.

He continued that rather than the fulfilment of a promise by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar of regularisation of all the rescuers during a ceremony to commemorate the sservice’s 14th anniversary at Rescue 1122 Headquarters, it was highly frustrating and demoralising that the rescuers were dismissed in this manner. During the visit in 2019, Buzdar had announced service structure, regularisation and resumption of the emergency allowance for the rescuers. Despite the passing of over eight months, none of the promises have been fulfilled so far.

Rescue 1122 responded to 75,729 calls in 2019

The rescuer continued that the absence of a delineated policy for regularisation and service and its implementation had made insecure the jobs of every rescuer on contract basis despite serving for many years. Many were fired for various excuses. Denial of extension of the contracts is also being used as tactics for arm-twisting by a few influential quarters to sustain their monopoly and hegemony, he alleged.

The officers informed of the termination of their contacts included Assistant Officer from Rescue Headquarters Imran Nisar, Rescue and Safety Officer Liaqatpur Muhammad Imran Sajjad, Control Room In-charge Dera Ghazi Khan Abdul Rauf and Lahore Rescue and Safety Officer Syed Tanweer Hussain.

The letter issued to them, titled “expiry of contract”, read, “I am directed to inform that your contract with the Punjab Emergency Service has not been extended by the competent authority.

You are, therefore, directed to submit your complete uniform and other accessories issued to you in the store of headquarters and then approach the Accounts Office for clearance of dues if any.”

The rescue officer said that the Punjab Regularisation of Service Act 2018 promised regularisation of the job of an employee who had served for four years. He quoted the relevant provision that read as, “Subject to the act, the contract employees who have continuously been serving as such for a period not less than four years on the commencement of the Act shall be eligible to be considered for appointment on regular basis”.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2020.