Punjab govt hires retired generals in violation of rules
Three retired army generals employed on contract on key administrative positions in violation of Re-employment Policy.
LAHORE:
The Punjab government has employed three retired army generals on contract on key administrative positions in violation of the Re-employment Policy, 2003, and Contract Appointment Policy, 2004.
The government appointed the generals despite the fact that it had terminated the services of more than 500 retired re-employed officials in April, 2008. The reasons cited were that the practice was against good governance and a violation of merit and transparency. These officials had been reemployed on contract by Chaudary Pervaiz Elahi, the former provincial chief minister. Among them were 40 retired army officers ranging from captain to brigadier.
According to the Re-employment Policy, 2003, the government cannot re-employ retired officials on contract without following proper procedures and taking into consideration the recommendation of the re-employment board headed by the chief secretary.
However, these three officers were accommodated by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif by relaxing all the relevant rules and policies. They were also given the perks and privileges that go with their jobs, including a car and petrol.
The Contract Appointment Policy states that all available posts should be advertised in the press and candidates should be asked to sit a written test and be interviewed.
A number of serving officials have complained about the practice of re-employing retired officials on the basis that it bars the promotion of deserving officials. They also point out that a lot of people who are rehired do not have very good performance records, hence cannot be expected to deliver efficiently after being reemployed on contract. They allege that these officials are rehired in return for their loyalty to the government during regular service.
On September 6, the livestock and dairy development department, on the request of the chief minister, appointed Major General (retired) Muhammad Ali Khan as the chief executive officer of the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board (PLDDB) for a period of three years.
The board was formed in August with many objectives including the development of model livestock farms for the training of farmers and to support the department in attracting domestic and foreign investment in the sector.
However, a board with a similar mandate, Punjab Livestock Dairy and Poultry Development Board, already existed but had become redundant due to negligence.
The new board was established in spite of opposition from the finance department which argued that it would put additional financial burden on the province. The finance department further said that Khan’s appointment procedure should follow the stated rules but he was nevertheless appointed directly, said an official on the condition of anonymity.
The government has also placed Rs500 million as seed money at the CEO’s disposal to start the functions of the newly constituted board, the official added.
The second appointment is of General (retired) Ziauddin Ahmed Butt. He was appointed chairman of the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) in April, 2010, by the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).
The third general appointed by the Punjab government is General (retired) Tariq Javed as chief executive officer of Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company. He was appointed in March 2010 and offered management professional scale one with all the accompanying perks and privileges.
These appointments have created resentment among officers who are in regular service and also eligible for these positions. They have demanded that the government ends the practice of re-employing retired officials to save the system and the rights of regular civil officers.
Rai Manzoor Nasir, the president of the Provincial Management Service Officer’s association, terms the appointments subjugation of the rights of eligible civil officers and demands their termination.
Meanwhile, S&GAD secretary Jalal Skindar Sultan Raja, refused to comment on the issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2010.
The Punjab government has employed three retired army generals on contract on key administrative positions in violation of the Re-employment Policy, 2003, and Contract Appointment Policy, 2004.
The government appointed the generals despite the fact that it had terminated the services of more than 500 retired re-employed officials in April, 2008. The reasons cited were that the practice was against good governance and a violation of merit and transparency. These officials had been reemployed on contract by Chaudary Pervaiz Elahi, the former provincial chief minister. Among them were 40 retired army officers ranging from captain to brigadier.
According to the Re-employment Policy, 2003, the government cannot re-employ retired officials on contract without following proper procedures and taking into consideration the recommendation of the re-employment board headed by the chief secretary.
However, these three officers were accommodated by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif by relaxing all the relevant rules and policies. They were also given the perks and privileges that go with their jobs, including a car and petrol.
The Contract Appointment Policy states that all available posts should be advertised in the press and candidates should be asked to sit a written test and be interviewed.
A number of serving officials have complained about the practice of re-employing retired officials on the basis that it bars the promotion of deserving officials. They also point out that a lot of people who are rehired do not have very good performance records, hence cannot be expected to deliver efficiently after being reemployed on contract. They allege that these officials are rehired in return for their loyalty to the government during regular service.
On September 6, the livestock and dairy development department, on the request of the chief minister, appointed Major General (retired) Muhammad Ali Khan as the chief executive officer of the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board (PLDDB) for a period of three years.
The board was formed in August with many objectives including the development of model livestock farms for the training of farmers and to support the department in attracting domestic and foreign investment in the sector.
However, a board with a similar mandate, Punjab Livestock Dairy and Poultry Development Board, already existed but had become redundant due to negligence.
The new board was established in spite of opposition from the finance department which argued that it would put additional financial burden on the province. The finance department further said that Khan’s appointment procedure should follow the stated rules but he was nevertheless appointed directly, said an official on the condition of anonymity.
The government has also placed Rs500 million as seed money at the CEO’s disposal to start the functions of the newly constituted board, the official added.
The second appointment is of General (retired) Ziauddin Ahmed Butt. He was appointed chairman of the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) in April, 2010, by the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD).
The third general appointed by the Punjab government is General (retired) Tariq Javed as chief executive officer of Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company. He was appointed in March 2010 and offered management professional scale one with all the accompanying perks and privileges.
These appointments have created resentment among officers who are in regular service and also eligible for these positions. They have demanded that the government ends the practice of re-employing retired officials to save the system and the rights of regular civil officers.
Rai Manzoor Nasir, the president of the Provincial Management Service Officer’s association, terms the appointments subjugation of the rights of eligible civil officers and demands their termination.
Meanwhile, S&GAD secretary Jalal Skindar Sultan Raja, refused to comment on the issue.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2010.