HYDERABAD, Nov 6: The chairman, All Pakistan Technical Draftsmen Federation, Hafiz Matloob Ahmed Chishti, has appealed to the governors of Punjab, Balochistan, and the NWFP to allow selection grade to 33 per cent of the total sanctioned strength of technical staff in the constructions and works department with retrospective effect as has been allowed by the Sindh finance department.

In a statement issued here the other day, he said that in the provincial finance secretaries’ meeting held in January 1992, it was decided not to extend 33 per cent selection grade facility to the technical staff, i.e. draftsmen and tracers on the ground that they had an adequate chance of promotion.

He, however, said that this was a travesty of facts because the promotion from the post of tracer to draftsman generally took from 10 to 12 years and to head draftsman another 10 to 13 years.

He further said that the promotion of draftsman to circle head draftsman and chief draftsman was even more difficult.

Mr Matloob said that it was a clear discrimination against the technical staff when the selection grade facility was being availed by the ministerial staff such as clerks and office superintendents.

He pointed out that only one post of chief draftsman (BPS-17) was available in each of the chief engineers’ office and eight posts of circle head draftsmen (BPS-16) in the department.

He claimed that only minor financial implication was involved in granting selection grade to 33 per cent of the total sanctioned strength.

He said the discrimination against the technical staff of the construction and works department of the three provinces was causing resentment among the employees.

Mr Matloob said that many representations had been submitted by them citing the example of Sindh province.

He said that if the grant of selection grade to the technical staff in Punjab, the NWFP, and Balochistan was not possible on the pattern of Sindh, then the selection grade of the technical staff may be converted into upgradation to end frustration among the technical draftsmen of the three provinces.