The case for the 92 ASIs who have been awaiting promotions

Assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) who were recruited in the Sindh police against the Shaheed Quota in 2004 and those who were appointed in 2007 have been promoted, but there are at least 92 ASIs, appointed as computer operators in 2004, who are facing neglect.

The exasperated group of 92 ASIs has also appealed to the Sindh police chief to conduct an inquiry against the alleged misinterpretation and manipulation in the creation of the IT cadres. The affected officials claim that the ASIs appointed against the Shaheed Quota in 2004 have been promoted to the next rank, which they say amounts to discrimination.

The fate of the 92 ASIs continues to hang in the balance, as they were recruited on merit in the Sindh police in BPS-9 after an advertisement was floated in the national newspaper through the Sindh Public Service Commission.

“Even the ASIs appointed in 2007 have been promoted, while we are being neglected due to the lethargic policies of the senior officers in the Sindh police,” ASI Syed Amjad Ali told The News. He has also appealed the provincial police chief.

“Many of the ASIs have quit their jobs for securing a better future for themselves, and those who are still working — they are 92 in number — are facing injustices at the hands of their big bosses.”

In the beginning 113 ASIs had been appointed, but 21 out of those have quit due to job insecurity and other issues, including serious mismanagement and bad governance. Since then they have been victims of neglect because, according to them, they are not the blue-eyed boys of the present rulers.

They said that instead of promoting them to the next rank, the Sindh government is constantly delaying resolution of their problem through false promises. The affected officials said they were appointed in October-November 2004 as ASI computer, but the appointment order mentioned that they were recruited as ASI computer operator BPS-9, showing the mala fide intention of the recruiting department, even though they were trained as regular ASIs at the police training colleges of Shahdadpur and Karachi’s Saeedabad in accordance with the police rules.

“We were kept at the disposal of their respective ranges and units where we were posted at different police stations as well as in offices as ASIs after the completion of all required courses,” said one of the ASIs.

“Despite the passage of 14 long years, our services have not yet been confirmed, even after the fact that we were appointed on merit on regular posts, as our names have not yet been put on List-E, due to which we have been deprived of promotions and other perks and privileges.”

The neglected ASIs claimed that their bosses in the Sindh police now intend to establish an IT cadre, where they will be absorbed forcibly on the same pay scale, depriving them of even rank and uniform, which is unjust. They said the post of ASI is purely uniformed.

The affected officials said they have urged Sindh police IT Director Tabasum Abbasi, whose services have recently been regularised, and Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam to look into the issue and provide relief according to the prevailing police rules, warning that they would otherwise seek justice through a court of law. However, despite repeated attempts to get in touch with the higher authorities, including the IT director, The News could not get them to talk on the issue and provide their version.