LARKANA, Feb 29: The chairman of the Larkana Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE), Prof Mushtaque Sundrani, has suspended seven officers after an enquiry dismissed charges of irregularities they had levelled against the board’s high-ups as untrue, disclosed an APCA office-bearer on Thursday.

Abid Mangi, general secretary of the BISE Unit of All-Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA), said that 63 employees of the board had sent an application about six months ago to the governor of Sindh, the controlling authority of the institution, alleging irregularities by the board’s appointment committee and calling for an inquiry.

The governor in his letter dated Feb 2 asked the chairman of Larkana BISE to conduct inquiry into the charges in the light of the application, Mr Mangi said on cell phone.

Later, the chairman of Karachi BISE Shafiqur Rehman arrived here as chairman of the inquiry committee. He did not give the complainants enough time to prove their allegations, he said.

He completed the inquiry and submitted a report to the governor who asked the chairman of Larkana BISE to take action against the seven officers, Mr Mangi.

He said that although the chairman had no authority to conduct inquiry against grade 18 officers he passed orders to suspend the officers, four of the grade 18 on Feb 15.

The suspended officers are: Abdul Rehman Chandio, inspector of colleges, Muhammed Khan Bhatti, audit officer, Fakhuruddain Abro, deputy secretary, Hafiz Shafiqur Rehman Soomro, deputy controller, Zaheeruddain Bhutto, Allah Wasayo Larik (assistant secretaries) and Sikandar Mirjat, assistant controller, Mr Mangi said.

The secretary of Larkana BISE Prof Narain Khiani confirmed suspension of the seven officers and said the inquiry had been conducted by the chairman of Karachi BISE.

He visited Larkana twice and met with complainants, the secretary said, adding that the inquiry officer recorded his and chairman’s statements also but the complainants failed to prove their charges.

The final report exonerated the chairman and secretary of charges and their failure to prove charges prompted the governor to ask the chairman to initiate action against them, Mr Khiani said.

The APCA described the action against the officials as arbitrary and announced that they would continue protests against the decision. The employees of Larkana board did attend duties and held a demonstration on Wednesday in protest.

The employees of Sukkur and Hyderabad boards would also join the protest on Friday and Saturday, and the association might also move court, Mr Mangi said.