File photo of a paycheck. PHOTO: FILE
GILGIT:
There is deep-rooted resentment among Gilgit-Baltistan’s civil servants as their demands for equal pay status with federal bureaucrats posted in G-B continue to go unheard.
The ‘Transition Plan Committee 2009’ had approved equal pay package for G-B civil servants in office management service, legal advisory service and district management service. Although the plan is yet to be implemented for G-B employees, the finance division quickly implemented this package for federal government officers in the province.
The officials posted in G-B were offered 100% additional incentive pay, 50% allowance, five free air tickets for their families per year and the choice to retain two government-owned houses, one in Gilgit and another in their previous posting location.
Federal officers of basic pay scale (BPS)-20 and above also receive transport compensation despite the fact that two to three luxury vehicles with drivers are also in their use for all purposes.
“Meetings are held on a daily basis to finalise an action plan that will address the discrimination,” said an official requesting anonymity. “The all-pervasive federal bureaucracy posted in G-B has frustrated our efforts in this regard.”
Following the directives of the prime minister’s secretariat for the early implementation of the plan, Chief Minister Mehdi Shah also followed up with clear directives to implement the recommendation in December last year. However, nothing came of his efforts either, according to the official.
He alleged bureaucrats posted in G-B attached little importance to the rule of law as it was a non-constitutional province. “But when it comes to availing benefits, they get their full share as if G-B was a regular province.”
The official explained federal bureaucrats had the same share in G-B as they did in constitutional provinces. They claim 65% of the seats in BPS-21 posts, 60% in BPS-20 posts, 50% in BPS-19 posts, 40% in BPS-18 posts and 25% in BPS-17, he added.
“We have also been inducted by the Federal Public Service Commission through competitive examinations, so there should be no discrimination in pay and perks between the two types of bureaucracy,” he said, adding the job quota for G-B employees should be raised so that they get equal chances for promotion.
Spokesperson for Chief Minister Mehdi Shah’s office, Sajjad Haq said: “the chief minister is updated on the issue and is doing his best to reach a settlement.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2013.
COMMENTS (1)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
How many of the officers from the federal government are in GB at a given time? May be a very few. I understand the incentives reflected in the article was offered to attract competent officers to GB during the time when GB was unattractive station for posting. And currently I guess it is no more!
But still you need additional rewards ( monitory, PIA ticket or others) to attract most competent and honest officers to serve GB and at the same time officers from GB government need to be posted in different districts down country including Islamabad and that should also be linked with the incentives whatever PIA tickets or others.That will help in capacity building of officers which is most needed to improve service delivery. The service structure and institutional mechanisms of GB need to be revisited and redefined by specialized human resource experts and that will improve efficiency, transparency, and cost effectiveness in service delivery.