NAB launches probe into illegal appointment of 43 IOs

KARACHI: National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiated inquiry regarding alleged illegal appointments of 43 grade-17 Information Officers (IOs) in Sindh Information and Archives Department in 2012.

According to NAB official documents copies available with ‘The News’ inquiry has been initiated on the compliant of Kosar Noor Solangi, a post graduate of Mass Communication Department.

In an official letter, Sindh NAB’s Additional Director Muhammad Amir Butt asked the Sindh Information Department secretary to provide complete details of contract appointees of Information Officers of grade-17 in 2012 along with their qualification and experience, their salary details including the details of head from where they were paid salaries and asked to provide information whether these officers were appointed during Election Commission ban or not. According to the NAB documents, these 43 Information Officers of grade-17 were appointed in 2012 on contract basis and then their contracts were extended illegally.

In June 2017 contradicting the Sindh Service Rules and misinterpreting Sindh High Court order, Sindh government confirmed the services of the said 43 Information Officers.

In 2016 some contract officers filed a fresh petition CP D-4751/2016 for the confirmation of their jobs by hiding the original facts from the Sindh High court of the pending five petitions filed against their initial appointments; interestingly Advocate General office also did not point out this position and practically supported the contract officers for obtaining favorite orders.

Said contract officers prayed to the SHC that their services in terms of Sindh Regularisation and Ad hoc and Contract Employees Act 2013 may be regularised; SHC keeping in view the available record ordered Sindh government to complete the process within three months and afterwards immediately then Sindh chief secretary forwarded case to the chief minister who confirmed these officers’ services without getting actual position of the matter. These officers, majority of the sons, brothers and close relatives of ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders and journalists were appointed in 2012 violating the basic criteria of qualification, Sindh Service Rules and by-passing Sindh Public Service Commission.

At the time of confirmation of these officers, leading legal and constitutional experts of Pakistan were of the view that the order of Sindh High Court which showed as the base of confirmation of these officers was got through hiding the original facts and fraud as neither petitioners nor Advocate General office presented the real facts before court.

According to the official documents at the end of 2012 when the schedule of general elections 2013 was announced and ECP had put a ban on appointments, these 43 Information Officers of grade 17 were directly appointed on contract basis. According to the Service Rules, basic degree for the position of Information Officer is ‘Masters in Mass Communication’ and any officer of grade 16 and above could be appointed only through the Sindh Public Service Commission but in this case to benefit the close relatives of political leaders, ECP ban and service rules were violated.

It is pertinent to mention here that from 2003 till date only 25 Information Officers having degrees of ‘Masters in Mass Communication’ could get jobs on merit through Sindh Public Service Commission but in 2013 then Information Minister Sharjeel Memon by misusing his powers appointed 43 Information Officers including four of his close relatives.

Former Information Minister Sharjeel Memon who is behind the bars and also is facing many cases and references of corruption, financial misappropriations and other irregularities before National Accountability Bureau (NAB) of his that period, will face the another inquiry of these appointed 43 officers illegally.

According to the details when these officers were appointed some candidates having master degrees in Mass Communication filed five constitutional petitions CP D-4460/ 2012 by Marvi Aslam and others, CP D-4769/2014 by Muhammad Kausar Noor and others, CP D-351/ 2014 by Muhammad Laiq and others and CP D-56/ 2013 in Sindh High Court and one by Anas Ghanghro at Circuit bench of Sindh High Court Sukkur and also filed a detailed application before the Human Rights Cell of Supreme Court of Pakistan but to no avail.

Media Coordinator of Sindh CM Rasheed Channa told The News that these officers were regularised on the recommendations of Services and General Administration Department and Sindh chief secretary following the order of Sindh High Court but if any irregularity was made and pointed out in future, this order could be taken back.

“Sindh chief minister believes in merit and if someone has misguided him at any forum and got illegal favour or benefit, that order could be revoked” added Mr Channa.