HYDERABAD: Sindh Local Government Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah has allowed an additional charge to a Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) officer in violation of his own notification whereby he had cancelled all additional, look-after and own pay scale (OPS) postings.

The officer, Anjum Saeed, who is HDA’s chief engineer, has been given the additional charge of Water and Sanitation managing director after Zahid Khemtio was removed as MD for his alleged failure to run Wasa satisfactorily. Mr Saeed was earlier holding two additional charges – HDA chief engineer and project director of housing. Through the April 30 notification, the LG secretary gave him the additional charge of Wasa MD but withdrew the charge of project director of housing. Shahid Pervez Memon has been given the charge of project director.

When contacted, LG Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah argued that since the Wasa MD [Mr Khemtio] was transferred on the last working day before holidays, the charge had to be handed over to someone until the Sindh government could post someone on this slot. He said it was temporary charge to fill the vacancy in order to avoid a void in Wasa working during Eid days.

He admitted that his March 26, 2021 notification was still in the field. “I follow what we have stated before Sindh High Court,” he said.

Through the notification, the secretary had stated that “assignment of any charge on OPS basis, additional charge(s) and look-after charges are cancelled”.

The notification required all heads of local councils, directorates, projects, authorities, commissions and boards to provide certificates in compliance with orders of Sindh High Court. Even outgoing HDA DG Ghulam Mohammad Kaimkhani had not followed this notification. He kept holding the position of DG as a look-after charge. Currently, he is posted as Sehwan Development Authority director general.

Both HDA and SDA DGs are holding cadre positions as non-cadre officers in violation of superior court’s order. When LG secretary was confronted with this issue, he said that “regarding cadre posts placement, the department has requested the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) to place appropriate suitable officers as soon as possible”.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2022