MANSEHRA: The district government on Thursday announced it had stopped the release of non-salary budget to all government departments in Mansehra over the district education officer’s absence from the district council’s session called to discuss ‘political’ appointments to the education department.

“I announce the halting of all sorts of non-salary budget payments to public sector departments until their heads ensure attendance in the district council’s sessions,” district naib nazim Murtaza Tanoli told the council.

The session chaired by Mr. Tanoli was called to discuss appointment of 182 low-grade employees to the education department. The session unanimously passed a resolution to demand that the provincial government order probe into irregularities in parent-teacher council funds, low-grade appointments and purchase of furniture in the education department.

All councillors walked out of the house against the absence of DEO Nisar Mohammad and ‘political’ appointments to the education department.

Seeks inquiry against DEO over ‘political’ appointments

They also asked the representatives of all departments, including education’s, to leave the premises saying only heads of their top bosses should be in attendance. The councillors returned after around an hour. District nazim Sardar Said Ghulam didn’t attend the session for reportedly being out of the district for official work.

Councillors Syeda Gulnaz Shah, Mian Altaf, Shahid Rafique, Malik Farooq, Sardar Shah Khan, Ahmad Sheryar Khan, Ihtesham Ali, Shakila Bibi and Sardar Ismail denounced appointments to the education department in the alleged violation of merit and criteria.

Without naming names, some councillors declared appointments political. The members both from the treasury and opposition benches said they were untied against corruption in public departments and would continue fight against the menace.

The naib nazim demanded that the government immediately suspend the DEO for absenting himself from the council session despite issuance of notice and begin inquiry against him over ‘unlawful’ appointments. “We cannot allow a government servant to induct such a large number of people in a department against merit,” he said.

Mr. Tanoli also announced the payment of salary to 182 low-grade employees appointed to the education department recently had been halted until the inquiry against DEO was over.

He said only heads of government departments would be allowed to attend the session but subordinates could accompany them.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016