Defying the rules: Govt set to regularise 20,000 employees
Over 100,000 contractual employees have been placed on regular footing during the last four years.
The government has decided to regularise over 20,000 employees who were hired 11 months ago on a contractual basis. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
In a move that may irk Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the government has decided to regularise over 20,000 employees who were hired 11 months ago on a contractual basis by different departments.
Despite a moratorium on fresh appointments until after countrywide polls, the cabinet sub-committee on regularisation of contractual employees appears to be acting in haste to provide legal cover to political appointments.
The committee under chairmanship of Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khurshid Shah will take up the temporary employees’ case on Monday. Head of Peoples Party’s labour wing Chaudhry Manzoor is expected to produce a list of contractual employees before the panel to regularise their services.
“We’ve decided to regularise services of all temporary employees,” Manzoor said, adding that the decision will be taken irrespective of political affiliation and longevity of service. He denied allegations that the move was aimed at obliging party workers.
Temporary employees, according to Pakistan Service Rules, cannot be regularised until they have completed service for five years, said a senior official of Establishment Division. He told The Express Tribune that the legal status of the high powered committee can be challenged in court.
Quoting rough estimates, Aftab Jamal, spokesperson for Establishment Division, said that the services of over 100,000 temporary employees have been placed on regular footing during the last four years.
According to details available with The Express Tribune, the federal government has regularised the services of over 4,000 Utility Stores Corporation’s contractual employees, over 2,899 employees of the Ministries of Industries and Petroleum, 534 employees of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, 412 employees of Federal Board of Revenue, 134 employees of Ministry of Science and Technology,
11,293 employees of Ministries of Capital Administration and other divisions that fall under various ministries.
Similarly, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) which has its own board to deal with employees’ service issue regularised another 1,720 employees across Pakistan. Additionally, services of over 700 BISP employees are expected to be regularised by end of this month.
“If the government did not follow service rules by placing temporary employees on regular footing then their appointment is illegal,” said Saleem Asghar Mian, former chairman of the Monopoly Control Authority. The ECP can take notice if the government is bypassing the rules to regularise temporary employees as elections approach, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2013.
In a move that may irk Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the government has decided to regularise over 20,000 employees who were hired 11 months ago on a contractual basis by different departments.
Despite a moratorium on fresh appointments until after countrywide polls, the cabinet sub-committee on regularisation of contractual employees appears to be acting in haste to provide legal cover to political appointments.
The committee under chairmanship of Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khurshid Shah will take up the temporary employees’ case on Monday. Head of Peoples Party’s labour wing Chaudhry Manzoor is expected to produce a list of contractual employees before the panel to regularise their services.
“We’ve decided to regularise services of all temporary employees,” Manzoor said, adding that the decision will be taken irrespective of political affiliation and longevity of service. He denied allegations that the move was aimed at obliging party workers.
Temporary employees, according to Pakistan Service Rules, cannot be regularised until they have completed service for five years, said a senior official of Establishment Division. He told The Express Tribune that the legal status of the high powered committee can be challenged in court.
Quoting rough estimates, Aftab Jamal, spokesperson for Establishment Division, said that the services of over 100,000 temporary employees have been placed on regular footing during the last four years.
According to details available with The Express Tribune, the federal government has regularised the services of over 4,000 Utility Stores Corporation’s contractual employees, over 2,899 employees of the Ministries of Industries and Petroleum, 534 employees of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, 412 employees of Federal Board of Revenue, 134 employees of Ministry of Science and Technology,
11,293 employees of Ministries of Capital Administration and other divisions that fall under various ministries.
Similarly, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) which has its own board to deal with employees’ service issue regularised another 1,720 employees across Pakistan. Additionally, services of over 700 BISP employees are expected to be regularised by end of this month.
“If the government did not follow service rules by placing temporary employees on regular footing then their appointment is illegal,” said Saleem Asghar Mian, former chairman of the Monopoly Control Authority. The ECP can take notice if the government is bypassing the rules to regularise temporary employees as elections approach, he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2013.