Seniority sidelined: ‘Federal govt’s junior officials given key posts in G-B’

Lawmakers criticise the move, call for regularisation of contract employees.

GILGIT:

Lawmakers on Wednesday voiced concerns over the posting of federal government’s junior officials to key posts across Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

The issue was raised through a resolution during the proceedings of the G-B Legislative Assembly. “Federal government’s junior officials are posted in G-B at top positions, bypassing senior officials from the area,” said Mirza Hussain of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), who moved the resolution that was unanimously passed by the house.



“This should stop now as it creates unrest among local officials and may ultimately trigger a Balochistan-like situation in G-B,” said Hussain, a resident of Hunza-Nagar Valley.

He also termed it a violation of the G-B Empowerment and Self-Governance Order (2009), under which G-B’s political status was brought at par with a province. The lawmaker said it was greatly unjust to deprive G-B officials from their promotions to the next grade.

Raziuddin Rizvi of Pakistan Peoples Party said the federal government was planning to “import” junior police officials like SHOs to G-B from the rest of the country. He asked the government to avoid such moves that may add to the frustration of local officials.

Meanwhile, Adviser to Chief Minister Sadia Danish sought regularisation of contract employees of grade 16, 17 and 18, who have completed two or more years of service in the government, adding the officials would face a lot of difficulties if this was not done. Deputy Speaker Jamil Ahmed and Fida Nashad of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz among others supported her stance and urged the government to regularise the employees.

The lawmakers raised the issue as G-B government is reportedly planning to re-advertise nearly 200 posts from various departments, filled earlier on contract.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2013.