NAB files reference against 7 officials of education department in accountability court

HYDERABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a reference in the accountability court in which 7 former officers of the Sindh Education Department have been accused for allegedly making illegal appointments.

According to the reference, the officials illegally appointed 440 teaching and non-teaching staff on the non-gazetted posts in the Education Department Matiari in 2012, causing the exchequer a loss of Rs 136.44 million.

The NAB has booked the officials under section 9-A and section 10 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999, which are punishable with a maximum of 14 years imprisonment after conviction.

The ex regional director schools Hyderabad (BPS-19) Shamsuddin Dal, ex district education officer Matiari (BPS-19) Ataullah Bhutto, ex DEO elementary Matiari (BPS-19) Safia Ameer Arbab and 2 BPS-18 and as many BPS-17 officers have been nominated.

According to the reference, Dal in his capacity of chairman District Recruitment Committee (DRC) advertised posts in April, 2012, but without specifying the number of vacancies.

The reference claims that the DRC did not check the answer sheets or called the candidates for their interviews.

Dal allegedly approved appointments of all 440 candidates on non-gazetted teaching and non-teaching posts which included 259 teachers. Bhutto is accused for providing wrong information of vacant posts in the Matiari to the DRc's chairman.

He also signed the 4 merit lists containing names of 440 candidates after completion of the process while also modifying the original job orders of 108 candidates, the reference claims. Safia Arbab allegedly supervised the written test but she is accused of failing to ensure assessment of the answer sheets.

Deputy secretary Education and Literacy (BPS-18) Abdul Azeem Khan is accused for countersigning the 4 merit lists and for giving directives to the Additional District accounts Officer Matiari (BPS-18) Bashir Ahmed Qureshi, another accused in the reference, to release salaries of all the appointees.

Two BPS-17 education officers Rajab Khaskheli and Rasheed Ahmed Memon are also nominated in the reference.