Non-appointment of senior officials creates problems for public

Rawalpindi: Non-appointment of higher officials in government departments in Rawalpindi on permanent basis has left lower ranked staff to work without any pressure as they linger on important matters creating lots of problems for public.

The absence of permanent commissioner, permanent director general of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and a permanent managing director of Rawalpindi Waste Management Company has created lots of problems for people who visit their offices even for petty matters.

Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) MPA Raja Muhammad Hanif, who was elected from Rawalpindi city expressed serious concerns against absence of permanent commissioner, permanent director general of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and a permanent managing director of Rawalpindi Waste Management Company.

He admitted that some political leaders were interested in appointment of officers of their personal liking. “They have their own interests rather to resolve public issues,” he claimed. “I have directed authorities concerned to make a summary for appointment of permanent officials on vacant seats,” he added. He said that all officials should be appointed strictly on merit basis instead of nepotism. “We want to maintain the beauty of Rawalpindi,” he hoped.

It merits mentioning here that Rawalpindi division has been without a commissioner for nearly four months. Similarly, departmental staff and other high ranking officials remain quite relaxed due to absence of a permanent director general at the Rawalpindi Development Authority and permanent managing director in the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company. It is only public which is suffering the most because of a permanent official on the aforementioned seats.

The sources told ‘The News’ that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had already interviewed some senior officers on the recommendations of the Services and General Administration Department (S&GDA) but some local political leaders of the city were insisting on bringing particular officers on vacant seats.

It seems that present Deputy Commissioner Talat Gondal is in the good books of local political leadership therefore he was given charge of all vacant seats. The present Deputy Commissioner Talat Gondal is not only having seat of deputy commissioner but the responsibilities of commissioner and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) for a long time.

Similarly, the most junior officer, Rizwan Sherdil, has been given the responsibility of managing director Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC). 

The official sources in the S&GDA and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat told this reporter that several senior officials met the standard qualification criteria for the post of commissioner Rawalpindi division but local political leadership wanted officers of their own wish.

Chaudhry Naseer Ahmed, former DG of the authority was removed in January 2014. The seat remained vacant for more than three years. The seat of RWMC managing director has also been lying vacant for a year. Similarly, the seat of commissioner has also been lying vacant for past four months.

In the meantime, all public related issues particularly illegal housing societies, completion of roads, issuance of NOCs and signal synchronisation remain pending due to non-serious attitude of RDA staff.

Similarly, the Rawalpindi city has been converted into a garbage dumping site as public is constantly facing smell everywhere round the clock. The RWMC is taking this issue non-seriously because of absence of regular managing director.