Through your esteemed newspaper I would like to invite public attention towards the present practice of re-employment and extension in service of retired government officials. This trend, which was rarely used during the much criticised political governments of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, has become normal practice during the present regime.
Today the position is that in each Ministry, federal as well as provincial, there are a number of officers whose services are retained for years after retirement in the name of "public interest."
Interestingly, majority of this re-employed lot belongs to higher grades, having links with the rulers. Are they really serving the "public interests" or the interests of their employers, is self evident from the national state of affairs.
To summarise their performance, these handpicked officers are ready to do every unlawful task for their masters. If you try to analyse the real causes of our current national issues, like law and order, information and media, foreign policy, etc you would find some re-employed officer behind it.
Moreover, these re-employed officers create administrative problems for the officers of that particular service/ministry as their retention in service blocks promotions of junior officers. Now, while the Army Chief has decided for the repatriation of all uniformed officers serving at civil posts, there is need to apply this principle in the civil services as well by not extending services of retired civil officers.
But we do not expect any such positive step by the present government. If the upcoming elected government wants to do something for the welfare of people of this country, it should first get rid of such elements who are masters in creating national issues and then coming up with their low-sighted solutions.