Tug of war in Planning Commission over 15 shelved project

A tug of war has started between contract employees including advisors, consultants and permanent employees, chiefs of various sections in the Planning Commission of Pakistan over shelving of 15 capacity building projects, it is learnt.
According to the sources, the Planning Commission has decided to wind up these projects after thoroughly examining their felt-need and want to implement in-house reform first, then the commission will be in a better position to ask others public sector departments to follow the suit. More than 267 employees are likely to be affected after abandoning these projects, they added.
The view point of the other side is that the permanent employees mainly chiefs of different sections are hatching conspiracy as before the appointment of contract employees they were all in all and now advisors, consultants and subject specialists are challenging their authority. The capacity building projects are being closed just to oust them.
They said that a lobby of chiefs of different sections was working to get rid of contract employees who were occupying two to three key posts after retirement beyond the age of superannuation. The sources said that the section chiefs are creating hurdles in the working of advisors, specialists and consultants. They said that the performance of contract officers is being affected due to the attitude of Chiefs of various sections-like agriculture, industry, water etc.
But the view point of the other side, sources said is that these capacity building projects were launched on political basis for providing benefits to their favourites. They said that these officers are getting handsome salaries, but their performance is very poor.
When contacted for comments, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission of Pakistan, Dr Nadeem-ul-Haq told Business Recorder that some capacity building projects are being closed because they are not result-oriented. He said that the Planning Commission wants to implement reforms to accelerate economic growth, but some appointments were made on political basis adding the appointees on such posts does not have the required the expertise-how can they deliver the desired results.
According to the sources, the Planning Commission did not implement the Supreme Court orders on officials who were re-appointed on contract basis after their retirement in the Planning Commission of Pakistan during Musharraf era and they are still occupying senior positions.
The sources said that six out of the total reemployed officers are working on senior positions of advisors and specialists. For example Muhammad Asif Sheikh (retired) was working as PSDP specialist and Spokesperson of Planning Commission, Shahnawaz Hussain employed as specialist PIA was also having charge of two to three slots. But on closure of projects in June, 2012, they will be shown the door. Similarly, Ali Arif Naqvi, educational planning specialist and Dr Asif Qayyum Qureshi, specialist on environmental economic and policy, Dr S M Younas Jafari advisor economic planning are still working, but they are also expected to leave in June.
According to documents available with Business Recorder, before taking decision to close 15 projects, the senior management identified some flaws: overlaps exists, capacity cannot be built up with retired personnel occupying key positions beyond the age of superannuation, there is need to identify valuable use of PPMI Building, most projects have not delivered any measurable results and their continued existence cannot be justified etc.
On the identification of senior Management, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Nadeem-ul-Haq constituted a Committee on January 3, 2012 for consolidation and wise use of resources. Ghulam Mohayuddin Mari Members Infrastructure and Shahid Sattar Member Energy were assigned as Chair and Co-Chair of the Committee, whereas Member M&I, Chief Water, Chief Governance and Chief Health of Planning Commission were assigned as members of the Committee.
The Committee held two meetings on January 4 and 10, 2012 and visited PPMI Building Projects. According to documents, after due deliberations, the Committee gave 28 recommendations. The Committee recommended that all retired, re-employed, officers and staff to be relieved immediately by paying one-month salary in all projects. It also recommended that from now onwards no contract employee to work as Chief of any section of Planning and Development Division, or use powers of Chiefs by any other designation or mechanism such as Advisor, Consultant or Specialists.
The officers of Planning Division working outside the Division for more than three years will be called back. No advisor, consultant or specialist to work for more than three years even with change of assignment or designation. All existing Projects Directors to be changed immediately to bring transparency into the system etc.