CHAKWAL: The teachers of Chakwal district have not been paid first four months’ salaries after their joining the service.

The Punjab Government recruited 1,303 teachers in Chakwal district in April 2012 in BPS 9, 14 and 16.

Most of them had quit their previous jobs to join teaching profession in April but they received their first pay in September 2012.

The first four months salaries were still to be paid.

Ironically, such kind of maladministration and bad governance has plagued only the Chakwal Education Department.

Sources in the district administration, however, told Dawn that it was facing a deficit of Rs520 million and had not a single penny to clear the arrears of the teachers.

The educators tried their best to get their stalled pay but in vain.

As a last resort, they moved the provincial ombudsman Javed Mehmood who after finding the complaint of teachers valid directed the Executive District Officer (EDO), Education to submit his reply.

The EDO submitted to the Ombudsman that the complainants were not paid their salaries as stated in their application due to non-availability of funds.

The EDO Finance and Planning in his reply to the ombudsman stated that a summary for provision of funds amounting to Rs210.448 million (including Rs138.840 million) to education department had been moved by the District Coordination Officer Chakwal to the Punjab chief minister.

The Ombudsman expressed his wonder on the reply of the EDO Finance and Planning as he directed the DCO Chakwal on December 16, 2013 to release the stalled salaries of the educators within 30 days but the DCO of Chakwal failed to resolve the problem.

The Ombudsman noted as, “Non-provision of funds for payment of salaries is injustice to the employees which is tantamount to maladministration”.

He further observed that if the district administration of Chakwal had no funds under the head of salaries why it recruited the teachers as recruitment was only made when there were funds for the salaries are available.

The Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has not issued any order for the provision of Rs210.448 million sought by former DCO of Chakwal Asif Bilal Lodhi.

“I’m in dire need of money but I’m being denied of my salary,” a teacher on the condition of anonymity said.

“The denial of salary is tantamount to denial of our basic right. We joined this profession with high hopes and determination. We are teachers but we are used to carry out campaigns like polio and dengue. Such kind of callous attitude is dwindling our passion,” said another teacher.

When contacted, DCO Mehmood Javed Bhatti admitted that he had no funds to clear the arrears of teachers.

“Their complaints are valid but we do not have funds,” he said and added that he had written to the finance department for provision of the funds.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2015

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