KARACHI, Oct 7: Resentment prevails among senior officials of the social welfare department against the promotion of a junior most officer to the position of district officer who superseded 39 senior officials.

The promoted officer, Mr Mohammad Rahim Lakho, has been elevated to the post of DO community development (social welfare wing) of the city government. The affected officials made a representation to the concerned minister, as well as chief secretary, to express their displeasure over the violation of rules by ignoring the seniority list.

They also protested against the acceptance of the recommendations put forward by the departmental promotion committee in this regard. However, the Mr Lakho's lobbyists resorted to harassing the aggrieved officials and tried to impress upon them to desist from making such representations that were violative of rules and discipline, it is learnt.

The aggrieved officials, in their representation, had drawn the attention of the minister to the fact that as per the final seniority list, Mr Lakho's name was at No. 40 and, as such, his elevation to the post of DO had caused heart-feeling to the 39 officers more senior than him.

They recalled that in the year 2002, the departmental promotion committee had recommended three cases of assistant directors for promotion, but the chief secretary had approved the promotion only against clear vacancies.

Since than, they maintained, the three officials had been waiting for their promotion but the most junior officer was obliged. They appealed to the minister and the chief secretary that the decision of Mr Lakho's promotion be reversed and the senior most officer be elevated to the post of DO.