ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, headed by Talha Mehmood of the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), on Wednesday expressed its amazement over the number of posts of Grade 18 and above lying vacant in Balochistan for a long time.
According to a handout issued by the Senate secretariat, the establishment division’s secretary briefed the committee about the vacant posts.
It was informed that officials were serving on only 42 out of 103 posts of Grade 18, 19, 20 and 21 in the province.
Only one appointment has been made out of five posts in Grade 21; five out of 23 in Grade 20; 19 out of 35 in Grade 19; and 17 out of 40 posts are filled in Grade 18.
Senator Mir Kabeer raised several questions on the issue. The secretary said there were several factors behind the shortage of officers, although other provinces also faced a similar situation to a lesser extent.
He said that the low passing percentage of candidates in competitive examinations and their reluctance to work in Balochistan were the main factors.
The committee was informed that the rotation policy of postings was revised at regular intervals and this time the officers of the administrative service and police service from Balochistan had been asked to serve in the province for at least seven years before being promoted to Grade 20. Besides, salaries of officers serving in Balochistan are higher than those in other provinces. The matter was deferred with a directive to the Establishment Division to submit a comprehensive briefing on all aspects of the issue.
Senators from Balochistan have, on a number of occasions, protested against alleged discrimination with the province in appointments to key posts in the federal government.
Published in Dawn October 27th, 2016
