Punjab bids adieu to most ex-babus

LAHORE Upholding the Supreme Court orders, the Punjab government is in the process of terminating most of the ex-bureaucrats re-employed on a contractual basis. Last month, the Supreme Court directed the federal and provincial governments not to re-employ officers on contract after their retirement. The apex court observed that prima facie such re-employments violate section 14 of the Civil Servant Act 1873 and the instructions contained in Estacode. The court had also observed that in re-employing ex-bureaucrats, judgments of the superior court had not been considered. The provincial government had reemployed over a hundred retired officers and others, mostly considered favourites of the PML-N, on contracts against hefty pays and perks in alleged violation of the rules and regulations and a complete disregard for the officers track record. It is ironic that the current government terminated all those re-employed by the last government of the PML-Q with a stroke of pen on April 10, 2008, but later it indulged in the practice of employing retired bureaucrats. After the latest move, eight of the 'favourites have submitted their resignations to avoid humiliation attached to the word 'termination. They include former Inspector General Sindh Police Rana Maqbool Ahmed, who was working as Secretary Public Prosecution Department; Gen Ziauddin Butt, Chairman Chief Ministers Inspection Team; ex-Lahore High Court judge Kazim Ali Malik, Director General Anti-Corruption Establishment; ex-bureaucrat Nazar Chohan, Chairman Liquidation Board Punjab and Privatisation Board; Col (retd) Ehsan-ur-Rehman, DG Civil Defence; former secretary Information Shoaib bin Aziz, Press Secretary to the CM; and Col (retd) Mahmood, DIG Special Branch. However, the fate of those appointed in the media team of the CM Punjab and the brigade of advisers and consultants, is still to be decided. Furthermore, the Ombudsman Punjab is said to be having 23 consultants or special advisers. Similarly, as per rules, the Punjab Service Tribunal (PST) and the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) must have half members from serving officials, but it is not the case since all have been appointed on contracts. The PPSC members are not being considered for termination this time, said source, adding that the PST members would be sent home though. Sources said the Services and General Administration Department has sent a list of 100 officers who had been re-employed over a period of three years. The Supreme Court has ordered termination of all those who had been reemployed bypassing the proper procedure, said a senior officer seeking anonymity. However, he refused to comment that the firing of the contractual bureaucrats indirectly constituted confession of guilt on the part of the Punjab government. The contract policy under section 13(1) of the Punjab Civil Servants Act, 1974, declares a retired government servant ineligible for appointment either on a regular or on a contractual basis. The Act also makes it obligatory to advertise all posts in at least two leading newspapers. However, these appointments were made under the re-employment policy of the provincial government, which states that a retired civil servant can be re-employed if it is necessary in the public interest. Nonetheless, the appointing authority, in this regard, is the governor who must act with the prior approval of the authority next to the appointing person. Other service rules say, The Chief Minister may, for special reasons to be recorded in writing, relax any of the rules in any individual case of hardship to the extent prescribed by him. This had been deemed tangible enough a pretext to induct retired bureaucrats of choice. The review committee constituted by the CM is expected to submit that the decision of terminating the re-employed should be applied across the board, sources said. The S&GAD (Services & General Administration Department) has yet to release the notification of the terminations.