Sindh caretaker Chief Minister Abdul Qadir Halepota on Wednesday reviewed the working of provincial bureaucracy and suggested steps for its further strengthening at different levels so that it could play effective role in making the coming general elections fair, free and transparent.
Sources said that the bureaucracy has too lost confidence in itself because of increasing political interference in its day to day functioning. They said that officers were working under threat of transfers and disciplinary actions and had lost confidence in the discharge of their duty.
It is learnt that the defiant officers, who were facing inquiries, would now be able to get clearance to get postings. A large number of OSDs are now being considered for "appropriate postings".
The Chief Secretary, who was having strained relations with Chief Minister Arbab Rahim, has heaved a sigh of relief and has busied himself with pending files calling for policy decisions. Sources said that the chief secretary in a meeting with provincial secretaries has asked them to review all pending directives of the former chief minister and, if necessary, refer them for consideration of the new chief minister.
However, the petitions of the aggrieved officers who have been making applications against administrative decisions affecting their career have yet to get relief. They said that their petitions were pending decisions for years and the chief secretary was yet to take action.
They said that disposal of cases would call for justice. It would hurt junior officers who are politically well connected and got promotion/postings out of turn. The chief secretary knows this situation and therefore hesitates to initiate any action in this regard, say affected applicants. The aggrieved officers said that the section officer dealing with appeals has got a storeroom to keep applications, and moves a file only when instructed to do so.
The affected applicants have appealed to the chief secretary to dispose of their cases as early as possible so that they do not remain deprived of benefits which they are likely to get if their cases are disposed of quickly and honestly.
It is learnt that the caretaker chief minister is being briefed in this matter of administrative as well as political importance. Sources said that after review of transfers/posting order changes would be made. A list of officers, mostly police officers, likely to be called back from their places of latest postings is being prepared for the consideration of the chief minister.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.