GM Railways granted one-year extension 'secretly'

With the consent of the railway minister, extension was granted to General Manager Pakistan Railways in violation of the Supreme Court order, senior officials of the railway ministry told Business Recorder. GM Railway Saeed Akhtar was due to retire on March 14, 2012 upon reaching the age of 60 years.
However, the GM was appointed on March 26, 2012 on contract basis and was reportedly granted one-year extension 'secretly' by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Railways officials while quoting the Supreme Court verdict directed that no extension will be given to any official on retirement, if it hurts the promotion of subordinate officials. But the GM Railways was given extension.
According to officials, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani granted extension to GM Saeed Akhtar with the consent of Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour instead of promoting one of the three officers recommended by the Chairman Railways. Chairman Railways had sent a summary to the prime minister in which he recommended three senior most officials namely Junaid Qureshi from Traffic and Commercial Group, BPS-21, Anjum Pervaiz from Civil Engineering Group, BPS-21 and Mohammad Shahid from Mechanical Engineering Group PBS-21 for posting as General Manger Railways.
However, on March 29, 2012 the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested GM Saeed Akhtar, on charges of selling scrap at throwaway prices and involvement in purchase of parts for 69 locomotives which resulted in huge loss to the Railways. The Accountability Court on April 14, 2012 extended 14-day physical remand of GM Saeed Akhtar.
Spokesperson of Pakistan Railways Director General, Aftab Akbar confirmed that GM Railways was appointed on contract basis after his retirement on March 14, 2012. Saeed Akhtar was appointed for the third time as GM Railways, he maintained.
When contacted, Ghulam Ahmad Bilour, Federal Minister for Pakistan Railways, confirmed that he had requested Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to appoint Saeed Akhtar as GM Pakistan Railways. He said that it is the job of executive and not the Supreme Court to run the administrative affairs.