Sindh caretaker Chief Minister Abdul Qadir Halepoto is reported to have asked for report about officers who have links with different political parties and are actively supporting them by listening to their recommendations regarding junior officers facing disciplinary actions.
Sources told Business Recorder on Thursday that officers were still under the influence of former chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and were taking 'dictation' from him in administrative matters. They said that officers facing disciplinary proceedings had approached leaders of PML-Q for support in the disposal of cases against them.
A large number of officers were charged during the past three years when Rahim was the chief minister of Sindh and under whose direction actions were initiated against officers charged with corruption and inefficiency allegations. A few of them, mostly belonging to police department, have already been cleared and the remaining others are waiting disposal of their cases.
Sources said that apart from police, agriculture, irrigation, and education departments, there were officers from excise and taxation, Usher and Auqaf who were in trouble. Sources said the former chief minister was reluctant to leave them unpunished as long as he was in the office, but with the change in situation, he was trying to listen to their problems and forgive them.
It is generally being said that as long as electioneering continues, Rahim would be available to general public and once the dust is settled his availability to people would become difficult. The affected officers think it was the right time to ask for his pardon and get old issues settled amicably.
The caretaker chief minister has asked the chief secretary to keep an eye on such officers who are still listening to former members of the Sindh Cabinet. Sources said that many officers who had left their offices were still fiddling with official files and helping officers belonging to their camp.
It is further learnt that the matter pertaining to people appointed by the outgoing Sindh Cabinet is still being examined. Though the new Sindh chief secretary has got 'soft corner' toward the newly appointed people, chiefly in police and education departments, but he has to strike a balance between administrative requirement and political exigency.
Sources said that 'wait and see' formula was being applied in this matter. In the meantime the irregularities, pointed out by the then chief secretary Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, are difficult to regularise.
The caretaker chief minister, sources said, was yet to look at these cases. Though, being a legal mind, he knows that the outgoing ministers and chief minister committed grave irregularities, would he be able to correct the position during the interim tenure? Probably not, according to sources.