not only getting hefty salaries but are also enjoying seniority because they have been inducted with fake backdated orders which has given them service record of at least five to 10 years.
This phenomenon of appointment of fake teachers was on the peak in last Pakistan People’s Party government, when Senior PPP leader Pir Mazhar was the Sindh education minister, the sources added.
“The department is taking action against all illegalities, ghost teachers, fake employees and illegally promoted teachers but it is difficult task to take action against those teachers who are working in media organisations as journalists and having important positions,” said the source.
Dr Fazal Pechuho, Secretary Sindh Education Department, when contacted, said, “It is a fact that the Education Department is under huge financial burden due to these fake employees and illegally promoted teachers and to get rid of these black sheep the department has taken stern steps like formation of biometric system and scrutiny committees.”
Pechuho added that at this stage it is difficult to say that how much fake persons have been inducted in the department and how many got illegal promotions but the department has realised the problem and on his directions, sophisticated biometric system has been introduced and till date near 30 percent teachers and ministerial staff has been verified and the process will be continued till getting rid of all ghost teachers.
On the other hand, a Special Scrutiny Committee comprising Special Secretary Aalia Shah, Additional Secretary Khadim Channa, Deputy Secretary Dadlo Zuhrani, Abdul Qadeer Shaeikh, Deputy Accountant General Sindh and Member Chief Minister Inspection Team Nazeer Ahmed Dhoon has been formed to examine the fake promotions and in this regard, record of 794 teachers of district Qambar Shahdadkot is under assessment and till date some 50 plus teachers have been found illegally promoted. Replying to a question, Pechuho said that strict action will be taken against these illegally appointed teachers and against those who got illegal promotions.
Additional Secretary Education Khadim Channa told The News, “In this entire process of removing illegally appointed and ghost teachers from the biggest department of Sindh, one positive thing is that Government School Teachers Association (GSTA) has assured that the association will not support any ghost teacher, fake employee or illegally promoted teacher.”
On the other hand, Pir Mazharul Haq in his statement over NAB’s inquiry against him said that Nawaz Sharif government framed four references against him in the past but he turned out innocent and this will happened in the instant case too. He said it was a truth that the Education Department was over-staffed but he had timely reported this to the chief minister Sindh and the government officers involved thereof were suspended and are facing inquiries. He said that only a disgraced person could sell jobs. He maintained that he is not running away from the country and will face all the allegations.