Speaker calls House committee meeting for PCS crisis

LAHORE Speaker Punjab Assembly Rana Muhammad Iqbal on Monday convened meeting of the House Committee on the coming Thursday to resolve the PCS officers issues. This issue was raised by PPPs vocal member Sajida Mir, who was of the considered opinion that the Punjab government was extending favours to the District Management Group officers, and had indulged in victimisation of the PCS officers. She repeatedly used wrong word 'DGM instead of DMG, and maintained that the CSPs were virtually controlling the whole province, which was their personal property. The provincial officers are also well-educated, but the Punjab government is disgracing them, she maintained, while mentioning of example District Coordination Officer Lahore Ahad Khan Cheema, who was BS-18 DMG officer, but posted against a BS-20 post. Her colleague Faiza Malik, while supporting Sajida Mir, condemned arrests of the provincial officers, and averred that the government had not outlined any strategy for addressing the PCS issues. However, amid noise PML-Ns Rana Muhammad Afzal defended his government by asserting that the provincial government had taken huge steps for the PCS officers. After this, the Speaker asked minister law Rana Sanaullah to brief the members about working of the committee constituted for redressing demands of the provincial baboos. Sana told the House that the committee was formed by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, which met for nine times in 2010, and majority of the issues had been resolved, including major demand of delay in promotions since 320 officers had been promoted after the meetings. He also mentioned that another issue of length of service was also resolved by amending rules, which had been re-notified. PCS officers demand for entry into Officers Mess at the GOR has been accepted as well. Secondly, another demand of 50 percent quota of PCS officers for postings as DCOs and Commissioners has been resolved as well since it has been decided that in a panel of three officers for any of these posts, one will be from the provincial officers. Hence 13 DCOs are from among this service, he added. He also enlisted that for amending Moeen Qureshis IPCC formula, the Punjab government would take up the issue with the Federal government. About his governments recent action against the PCS officers, he told the members that a few PCS officers distributed pamphlets for strike at Punjab Civil Secretariat on Friday, and used foul language. Sana also stated that around 200 to 250 officers gathered at the Secretariat, and resorted to sloganeering. After this, FIR was registered against 73 officers for this illegal act, and they were released on bail the next day. Despite a call for strike on Monday, official work continued across the province and at the Secretariat at a normal pace, he averred, adding that his government did not entertain ill-will against the PCS officers, and ready to talk to resolve the remaining unresolved issues. But their demand of throwing the DMG officers out of Punjab, is unjustified, which will not be entertained at all, he vowed. Upon this, the Speaker, while referring to the house committee, instructed that its meeting should be held on Thursday (March 24), and president and secretary of the PCS Officers Association should be invited to resolve the crisis. The business was in progress when a member of the Opposition pointed out the quorum. The Speaker asked for ringing of bells for five minutes, followed by a 10-minutes break, but the House remained inquorate. Upon this, Rana Muhammad Iqbal adjourned the house till Tuesday morning 10am.