Karachi’s District Coordination Officer, who effectively runs the city government, has asked all department heads or EDOs and 120 of their subordinate district officers to explain why they have been coming to work late.
A few days ago, DCO Roshan Ali Shaikh issued orders that all officials must be at work from 9 am to 1 pm. He said they cannot be away from office during this time period on the excuse that they are in ‘internal meetings’.
“But even though verbal instructions were given, the officials took the matter lightly, believing it was normal to be late as if it was an ordinary practice,” Shaikh said.
Only the EDO for community development, Rehana Saif, and the acting transport and communication’s EDO, Muhammad Athar, managed to show up at the right time.
One of the EDOs, Atiq Baig, is a contract employee and is on leave for Umra. Karachi has about 16 EDOs, according to the city government’s website.
They directly report to the DCO. City spokesman Bashir Khan Saddozai told The Express Tribune that notices were only issued to the EDOs. Subordinates are meant to send an explanation to the EDOs who will then submit a report to the DCO with remarks and suggestions for departmental action.
Separately, the DCO has barred all city officials from communicating or sharing information with the press.
“It was a federal government decision that the CDGK has implemented in letter and spirit,” Shaikh explained. They are making separate arrangements to provide reporters information, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 9th, 2011.
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