THERE is a class of service which is known as the Sindh Council’s Unified Grade Service (SCUGS), which falls under the local government system. Its controlling officer is the secretary of the Local Government Board, while the secretary of Local Government serves as chairman of the board.
The lack of clarity about which one of the two is the decision-making authority leads to administrative bottlenecks and lack of accountability.
Unfortunately, the disdain with which the SCUGS officers are generally treated is shameful. Pension and commutation payments are not processed and disbursed in a timely manner; certain officers have been waiting for the last five to six years for their commutation.
All local councils in the province contribute to the SCUGS fund along with the provincial finance department, which contributes a certain amount on a monthly basis.
One wonders why the retired officers have to run from the proverbial pillar to post like beggars, when all they are asking for is what they are rightfully entitled to.
In principle, a retired SCUGS officer is entitled to his pension, benefits and other allowances, including medical expenses, from the SCUGS fund. In practice, however, these officers are told to get their medical and other allowances from town municipal corporations (TMCs), which is an unreasonable expectation because these costs cannot be legitimately charged against TMC budgets.
In my particular case, I have had to submit my medical reimbursement bill once every two to three years on account of multiple health problems.
My last two bills were paid from the funds of District Municipal Corporation (DMC) South/TMC Gulberg after Sindh High Court issued an order to that effect.
Another bill has been pending with the Local Government Board for the last five months, but, instead of being paid from the SCUGS funds, I have been asked to approach the elected representative of TMC Gulberg. Should I do that with a begging bowl in hand?
Mine, for sure, is not an isolated case. There are many other retired officers who often find themselves in the same position. The Sindh chief minister and the provincial chief secretary should take cognizance of this issue, and resolve it in the interest of justice and fair play.
Ghulam Arif Khan
Karachi
Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2025