Much obliged: NA ‘creates’ space for more officers
Fehmida Mirza inducted not more than 134 officers in five years, creating only 30 posts for officers on deputation.
File photo of Fehmida Mirza. PHOTO: PID/ FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Unlike her predecessor Chaudhry Amir Hussain who recruited 500 officers in the National Assembly, current speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza had kept a tight leash on recruitment inducting no more than 134 officers in the last five years and creating only about 30 posts for officers on deputation.
“Most of the 134 officers recruited were referred by Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali,” a senior assembly officer claimed.
The other end of the problem lies with officers who are working even after their retirement. One of them includes Additional Secretary Syed Munawar Abbas who retired as a grade 21 officer but was re-employed on contract.
“He was friends with opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who made sure Abbas does not leave the assembly,” said the officer. The assembly currently has a 1,300-strong staff. Sources said most of them were more of a burden than of any use. The assembly still lacks competent officers at many posts, they unanimously agreed.
Sources informed The Express Tribune that under ‘normal’ circumstances when the National Assembly feels the need to hire officers on deputation, the establishment division of the house is informed and it then recruits officers on merit. However, in the current scenario most officers were not genuinely needed by the assembly and were hired only because of political affiliations.
The case of recruitment of joint secretary in the speaker’s office, Syed Shamoon Hashmi, is being quoted by his detractors as an example. They said he was recruited three years ago as a grade 18 officer on deputation, grade 22 being the highest. After a short while he was not only promoted to grade 19 but was also later absorbed as a permanent employee of the National Assembly, and that Hashmi previously worked as a grade 17 officer at Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL).
However, NA Public Relations Director General Anjum Mughal has denied reports that Hashmi was recruited at grade 18. He said the officer was recruited at grade 19, and the promotions were suggested by his parent department, the KRL, and not the assembly.
When contacted, Hashmi defended himself being the youngest joint secretary working in the assembly secretariat on grade 20. He stated that when recruited by the National Assembly on grade 19 he was working at SPF 9 at KRL, which is a more superior position than grade 19. Since the pay was higher in his previous office Hashmi requested the secretariat to either raise his pay or repatriate him to his former department. Hashmi said that his case was then referred to the establishment division, after which he was re-appointed on grade 20.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 3rd, 2013.
Unlike her predecessor Chaudhry Amir Hussain who recruited 500 officers in the National Assembly, current speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza had kept a tight leash on recruitment inducting no more than 134 officers in the last five years and creating only about 30 posts for officers on deputation.
“Most of the 134 officers recruited were referred by Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali,” a senior assembly officer claimed.
The other end of the problem lies with officers who are working even after their retirement. One of them includes Additional Secretary Syed Munawar Abbas who retired as a grade 21 officer but was re-employed on contract.
“He was friends with opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who made sure Abbas does not leave the assembly,” said the officer. The assembly currently has a 1,300-strong staff. Sources said most of them were more of a burden than of any use. The assembly still lacks competent officers at many posts, they unanimously agreed.
Sources informed The Express Tribune that under ‘normal’ circumstances when the National Assembly feels the need to hire officers on deputation, the establishment division of the house is informed and it then recruits officers on merit. However, in the current scenario most officers were not genuinely needed by the assembly and were hired only because of political affiliations.
The case of recruitment of joint secretary in the speaker’s office, Syed Shamoon Hashmi, is being quoted by his detractors as an example. They said he was recruited three years ago as a grade 18 officer on deputation, grade 22 being the highest. After a short while he was not only promoted to grade 19 but was also later absorbed as a permanent employee of the National Assembly, and that Hashmi previously worked as a grade 17 officer at Kahuta Research Laboratories (KRL).
However, NA Public Relations Director General Anjum Mughal has denied reports that Hashmi was recruited at grade 18. He said the officer was recruited at grade 19, and the promotions were suggested by his parent department, the KRL, and not the assembly.
When contacted, Hashmi defended himself being the youngest joint secretary working in the assembly secretariat on grade 20. He stated that when recruited by the National Assembly on grade 19 he was working at SPF 9 at KRL, which is a more superior position than grade 19. Since the pay was higher in his previous office Hashmi requested the secretariat to either raise his pay or repatriate him to his former department. Hashmi said that his case was then referred to the establishment division, after which he was re-appointed on grade 20.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 3rd, 2013.