KARACHI, Dec 31: Confusion over seniority status is causing unrest among municipal officers in different tiers of the new local government system, it is learnt.

In a letter to the Sindh chief secretary, the City Engineers & Officers Forum said there were various grievances and difficulties being faced by relevant categories of officers before the merging and amalgamation of district governments and town municipal administration in Karachi.

The forum says it seems that no proper homework has been done in this regard resulting in total confusion in various segments of service structure, particularly position of seniority, ratio of promotion, seats and posting, etc.

The letter further states that amalgamation of different departments/ organizations and consequent inter-departmental merger in the new setup has created discontent among the officials who were holding senior positions in their parent departments.

It maintains that the municipal town officer by virtue of the nature of his administrative job should invariably be a BS-19 officer.

But at present it has not been done as only in a few towns BS-19 officers have been posted, whereas many towns are running under most junior officers, even BS-16 or BS-17 officers, the letter says.

There are, however, many senior officers of BS-19 and BS-18 (who are drawing salaries of BS-19 by virtue of moreover) can be accommodated on these posts as this will not entail financial implications.

The forum suggests that in case there is no BS-19 officer available, the senior-most officer of BS-18 on seniority-cum-fitness basis could be promoted and posted accordingly, provided that transparency is observed and it is in accordance with the rules of the government’s promotion policy.

Likewise, the posts in the city government could be filled from among the officers working in the city, instead of officers from outside.

It would, however, be better that the seats and posts are ascertained of each group of service in quota and seniority, as such, be determined separately of each group of service.

The financial and executive or administrative powers of these officers, including the next senior, should be notified postwise in detail so that devolution of power at the grass roots could be implemented in its true spirit.