ISLAMABAD: In an unusual and unprecedented case, the bureaucracy has succeeded in getting approval from the prime minister to give reemployment, in fact, a third time post-retirement extension in service, of an officer who has even crossed the age of 65.
PM Nawaz has already given an extension to the same officer belonging to the Ministry of Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) in 2015 on the recommendation of bureaucracy.
A senior officer of the Prime Minister House referred this correspondent to the ministry concerned. However, Minister of State for Capital Administration Tariq Fazal Chaudhry refused to discuss the issue. However, a senior officer of Ministry of Capital Administration insisted that prime minister has powers to reemploy any officer or to give extension for indefinite number of times till an indefinite age. “There is no limit of 65 years and the prime minister has all powers to reemploy any government servant,” senior official of CADD ministry told The News adding, “The extension is generally given because of the need of the expertise and services of certain individuals which others may not have”.
He said there is a need for experts to run National Special Education Centre for Hearing Impaired Children. Everybody cannot do this job. The officer who got third time extension in service is because she was specialist in this field. Pakistan lacks such specialists. There is no other option than to retain services of experts in such institutions.
Prime Minister Office under letter number UO No. 78/SPM/2017 dated January 13, 2017 awarded unprecedented approval to a summary giving reemployment to Mrs Perveen Shehnaz as consultant in National Special Education Centre for Hearing Impaired Children Islamabad. She was in grade-18 but was using federal secretary (grade-22) level residence and now after another extension, she will continue to reside in the same federal secretary level house.
The unprecedented notification reads as;
“TO BE PUBLISHED IN NEXT ISSUE OF GAZETTE OF PAKISTAN PART-1
Government of Pakistan
(Cabinet Secretariat)
Capital Administration & Development Division Islamabad the 13th January 2017 Notification: No.F.1-6/2013-AEA(SE): The Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan has been pleased to approve the appointment of Mrs Parveen Shehnaz as consultant in National Special Education Centre for Hearing Impaired Children, Islamabad under the Directorate General of Special Education Islamabad for a period of two years, with effect from January 2, 2017 on a fixed salary of Rs100,000 per month. This employment is in relaxation of condition of open advertisement in Para 4(i) and requirement of recommendation of Selection Board in Para 4(iii) of the Guidelines for Appointment of Consultants.
2- This issue in pursuance of Prime Minister’s Office UO No. 78/SPM/2017 dated January 13, 2017.
Sd/- Farooque Aizam Abro, Assistant Education Adviser”
The 2015 notification of CAD ministry reads;
“No.F.1-6/2013-SO(SE): The Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan has been pleased to approve the two years extension in contract/reemployment of Mrs Perveen Shehnaz as Vice Principal (BS-18) (Retired) in the National Special Education Centre for Hearing Impaired Children, Islamabad under the Directorate General of Special Education Islamabad on the standard terms and conditions w.e.f. 01-01-2015.
2- The issue in pursuance of Prime Minister’s Secretariat UO No.3943/SPM/14.
Shakila Begum, Section Officer (SE)”.
The officer could not be reached despite repeated attempts and her office also refused to offer any comment. There is severe resentment in the department as well as in the ranks of civil bureaucracy because of such unbelievable and unprecedented extensions and reemployments. However, Prime Minister Office and CADD ministry defends decision of the prime minister as being on merit and in accordance with rules and regulations. However, the CADD minister simply shied away to discuss the issue.