Against SC orders: 50 officers still working ‘on deputation’
Sindh govt has repatriated all federal officers, Punjab has yet to act.
LAHORE:
As many as 50 non All-Pakistan Unified Group (APUG) officers from various federal services are working on posts in the provincial administration ‘on deputation’ in violation of a Supreme Court (SC) order and Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) sharing formula, The Express Tribune has learnt.
An official requesting anonymity said that while the Sindh government had repatriated all non APUG officers posted in the province after a SC decision, the Punjab government was yet to act on the orders.
The official added that three of the officers were from Balochistan, including two from the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) and one from judiciary officer.
Of the 50 officers, 24 are from the Pakistan Audit and Account Service (PAAS); nine from the Income Tax group; six from the Postal Service, three from Inland Revenue Service, two from Information, two from Balochistan PCS, one from the Judicial Service, one from Office Management Group, one from Commerce and Trade Group and Economic Affairs Group.
Three of the officers are working in BS-20, 13 in BS-19, 22 in BS-18 and 12 in BS-17 postings. Each of the BS-17 officers has been posted in BS-18 under the Own Pay and Scale policy civil servants.
According to the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) 1993 formula, only APUG, PCS, Provincial Secretariat Services (PSS) and Provincial Management Services (PMS) officers can be posted in the administration of a province.
There is no provincial quota for other federal services. These officers were posted after a case to case relaxation by the Chief Minister in the appointment policy and Deputation Policy, 1997.
The Tribune has learnt that the Punjab government has not forwarded a requisition to hire the officers ‘on deputation.’
The BS-17 officers were posted in BPS-18 as deputy secretary under OPS policy, the official alleged.
Officers on deputation receive 20 per cent of their original pay as deputation allowance.
During a survey conducted by The Tribune, officers from the three provincial services PCS, PSS and PMS said that the posting of federal department officers under the OPS policy will impede the quota allocated for provincial services.
A senior S&GAD official said that the appointments would adversely affect the promotion of provincial cadre officers and create discontent.
“The government should not turn to ineligible officers and repatriate them immediately,” he said.
Punjab PMS Association President Rai Manzoor Nasir said the SC had upheld a Sindh High Court verdict to remove all non-APUG officers from provinces.
“The Sindh government followed through on the decision but the Punjab govt has refused to do so,” Nasir said.
Services Secretary Jalal Sikandar Sultan Raja said that the government was discouraging the deputation of non-APUG officers.
He added that all ineligible officers will be repatriated soon to implement the SC decision in letter and spirit.
He said that the Punjab government had hired the services of PAAS officers on a ‘need-basis’ since it lacked qualified officers to deal with financial matters.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2012.
As many as 50 non All-Pakistan Unified Group (APUG) officers from various federal services are working on posts in the provincial administration ‘on deputation’ in violation of a Supreme Court (SC) order and Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) sharing formula, The Express Tribune has learnt.
An official requesting anonymity said that while the Sindh government had repatriated all non APUG officers posted in the province after a SC decision, the Punjab government was yet to act on the orders.
The official added that three of the officers were from Balochistan, including two from the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) and one from judiciary officer.
Of the 50 officers, 24 are from the Pakistan Audit and Account Service (PAAS); nine from the Income Tax group; six from the Postal Service, three from Inland Revenue Service, two from Information, two from Balochistan PCS, one from the Judicial Service, one from Office Management Group, one from Commerce and Trade Group and Economic Affairs Group.
Three of the officers are working in BS-20, 13 in BS-19, 22 in BS-18 and 12 in BS-17 postings. Each of the BS-17 officers has been posted in BS-18 under the Own Pay and Scale policy civil servants.
According to the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) 1993 formula, only APUG, PCS, Provincial Secretariat Services (PSS) and Provincial Management Services (PMS) officers can be posted in the administration of a province.
There is no provincial quota for other federal services. These officers were posted after a case to case relaxation by the Chief Minister in the appointment policy and Deputation Policy, 1997.
The Tribune has learnt that the Punjab government has not forwarded a requisition to hire the officers ‘on deputation.’
The BS-17 officers were posted in BPS-18 as deputy secretary under OPS policy, the official alleged.
Officers on deputation receive 20 per cent of their original pay as deputation allowance.
During a survey conducted by The Tribune, officers from the three provincial services PCS, PSS and PMS said that the posting of federal department officers under the OPS policy will impede the quota allocated for provincial services.
A senior S&GAD official said that the appointments would adversely affect the promotion of provincial cadre officers and create discontent.
“The government should not turn to ineligible officers and repatriate them immediately,” he said.
Punjab PMS Association President Rai Manzoor Nasir said the SC had upheld a Sindh High Court verdict to remove all non-APUG officers from provinces.
“The Sindh government followed through on the decision but the Punjab govt has refused to do so,” Nasir said.
Services Secretary Jalal Sikandar Sultan Raja said that the government was discouraging the deputation of non-APUG officers.
He added that all ineligible officers will be repatriated soon to implement the SC decision in letter and spirit.
He said that the Punjab government had hired the services of PAAS officers on a ‘need-basis’ since it lacked qualified officers to deal with financial matters.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2012.