Proposing reforms: Lawmakers seek to quell discontent in bureaucracy
MPAs demand growth for Provincial Management Service officers.
Sherpao told lawmakers around 450 PMS officers serving across the province were faced with bleak promotion prospects and had few opportunities for professional development. PHOTO: INP
PESHAWAR:
Treasury and opposition lawmakers united over eliminating the growing discontent among Provincial Management Service (PMS) officers.
The issue was raised by Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) parliamentary leader Sikandar Sherpao on an adjournment motion at the K-P Assembly session on Friday. Sherpao told lawmakers around 450 PMS officers serving across the province were faced with bleak promotion prospects and had few opportunities for professional development.
He said promotions were long overdue for these officers. The MPA said a caretaker government in 1993 decided to follow a pyramid model of promotion of provincial services officers and proposed an inverted pyramid for Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officials.
“The formula reduced chances of promotion for PMS officers, while increasing the prospects of PAS officials,” he said. Sherpao said the formula was devised by an interim premier and chief ministers, but not a single representative of the provincial service was part of the deliberations.
‘Remote-controlled’
He said most federal bureaucracy officials were not ready to serve in Malakand and other parts of K-P in volatile times. “The government issued six orders for the appointment of the Swat DC and all were cancelled,” Sherpao recalled. “As a measure of last resort, an official of the fisheries department was appointed.”
The QWP leader said the “remote” controlling of the central bureaucracy was in Islamabad’s possession, adding the provincial government could not even penalise federal officials serving in K-P. He recalled that the Bannu DC surrendered his services to the centre after the jailbreak in April 2012, but found another appointment soon after.
Starting at home
Sikandar called attention to the province’s own administrative officials and demanded that the matter of PMS be referred to the law reforms committee of the house.
He was supported by ANP’s Syed Jaffer Shah, opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman and PML-N’s Abdul Sattar Khan. Although Special Assistant for Law Arif Yousaf tried to stop the matter from being referred to the committee, saying the issue was sub judice, he was ignored by Speaker Asad Qaiser.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan admitted this was a serious subject. “There was a constant tug-of-war between the federal and provincial bureaucracies.” Atif said apart from addressing the troubles of PMS officers, the committee should also propose reforms in the bureaucracy. Adviser for Social Welfare Mehr Taj Roghani also called for reforms in the bureaucracy, saying departments lacked competent officers.
The issue was referred to the relevant committee and the speaker directed officials to arrange a meeting within 15 days.
Clipping VCs’ wings
Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ghani informed the house during the question hour that the government was considering clipping the powers of university vice chancellors to make appointments for jobs in BPS 1-15. He alleged certain VCs were misusing these powers. “The Hazara University VC, who belongs to Charsadda, appointed between 250 and 300 people from his district,” he said.
The session was adjourned till Friday, April 3.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2015.
Treasury and opposition lawmakers united over eliminating the growing discontent among Provincial Management Service (PMS) officers.
The issue was raised by Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) parliamentary leader Sikandar Sherpao on an adjournment motion at the K-P Assembly session on Friday. Sherpao told lawmakers around 450 PMS officers serving across the province were faced with bleak promotion prospects and had few opportunities for professional development.
He said promotions were long overdue for these officers. The MPA said a caretaker government in 1993 decided to follow a pyramid model of promotion of provincial services officers and proposed an inverted pyramid for Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officials.
“The formula reduced chances of promotion for PMS officers, while increasing the prospects of PAS officials,” he said. Sherpao said the formula was devised by an interim premier and chief ministers, but not a single representative of the provincial service was part of the deliberations.
‘Remote-controlled’
He said most federal bureaucracy officials were not ready to serve in Malakand and other parts of K-P in volatile times. “The government issued six orders for the appointment of the Swat DC and all were cancelled,” Sherpao recalled. “As a measure of last resort, an official of the fisheries department was appointed.”
The QWP leader said the “remote” controlling of the central bureaucracy was in Islamabad’s possession, adding the provincial government could not even penalise federal officials serving in K-P. He recalled that the Bannu DC surrendered his services to the centre after the jailbreak in April 2012, but found another appointment soon after.
Starting at home
Sikandar called attention to the province’s own administrative officials and demanded that the matter of PMS be referred to the law reforms committee of the house.
He was supported by ANP’s Syed Jaffer Shah, opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman and PML-N’s Abdul Sattar Khan. Although Special Assistant for Law Arif Yousaf tried to stop the matter from being referred to the committee, saying the issue was sub judice, he was ignored by Speaker Asad Qaiser.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan admitted this was a serious subject. “There was a constant tug-of-war between the federal and provincial bureaucracies.” Atif said apart from addressing the troubles of PMS officers, the committee should also propose reforms in the bureaucracy. Adviser for Social Welfare Mehr Taj Roghani also called for reforms in the bureaucracy, saying departments lacked competent officers.
The issue was referred to the relevant committee and the speaker directed officials to arrange a meeting within 15 days.
Clipping VCs’ wings
Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ghani informed the house during the question hour that the government was considering clipping the powers of university vice chancellors to make appointments for jobs in BPS 1-15. He alleged certain VCs were misusing these powers. “The Hazara University VC, who belongs to Charsadda, appointed between 250 and 300 people from his district,” he said.
The session was adjourned till Friday, April 3.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2015.