Illegal postings, transfers and promotions are rampant in Pakistan Railways, Karachi Division, it is learnt. Despite a clear ban on the postings/transfers of officers and staff, imposed by the competent authority of Pakistan Railways through a notification No 220-E/O-officers/pt-IV (APO-VII) dated 6-02-2010, officials/staff have been transferred, posted and promoted in the personnel branch of the division.
Not only the ban has been violated but also the rules of transfer and promotions for what the sources said to remove obstacles in the way of corruption. Mumtaz Hussain, Head Clerk/BS-14 P-2 Section, was transferred to Welfare Cell on utilisation basis without his willingness on February 18 which, according to the sources, was not only the violation of rules but also against the ban on posting/transfers, imposed recently.
Mumtaz, who was earlier transferred to the P-2 section from Welfare Cell on February 3, was resent to the cell on utilisation basis just after 15 days of his earlier posting. He, what the sources claimed, was re-transferred just to facilitate the promotion of a junior staff Syed Abid Ali (UDC/BS-9 of P-2 department) as Head Clerk /BS-14 P-2 Section, by Divisional Personnel Officer (DPO).
By virtue of Mumtaz's transfer vide letter dated 18.2.2010 from P-2 Section to Welfare Cell on utilisation basis his pay was supposed to be charged from P-2 Section, but to the height of injustice, a UDC was promoted in excess of vacancies.
Through a letter E-1002/9(DPC) dated 17-2-2010, three Upper Divisional Clerks (UDCs), (BS-9) including Asma Perveen, Syed Abid Ali and Muhammad Rehan were promoted to BS-14, as head clerk Bill Section, P-2 section and ACME section respectively against vacancies in the said departments.
Besides, other clerical staff including Imtiaz Ahmed of P-2 section, Amir Azam, from welfare cell, Zain Ul Abedin, head clerk, Shehzad Khan, from P-8 section, Abdul Rauf Arif of CR section, and Ghulam Farid Shehzad from Bill Section, through a notification dated 18-2-2010 issued by the DPO, were also transferred/posted and utilised in different departments.
Interestingly, to facilitate the transfers/posting and promotions, the divisional administration issued the banning notification late by almost 15 days after it received the order from Pakistan Railways Head Quarter, Lahore, sources added. They claimed that the order was received the day it was issued by the head quarter via fax but the divisional administration had deliberately delayed the notification to justify the posting/promotions of some blue-eyed staff.
They also alleged that Mumtaz Hussain, who was resent to his earlier department just after 15 days of posting, was considered a trouble maker by the corrupt officials. He, however, through an application had requested the Divisional Superintendent (DS) for restoring himself to his post as head clerk P-2 section as his pay was to be charged as the same post. He had been utilised in the Welfare Cell without his willingness.
His application was turned down by the DS without explaining any reason, sources said. Kashif Yusufani, Divisional Commercial Officer, when asked about the issue, showed his ignorance regarding the posting/promotions, while the DPO Fateh Muhammad could not be reached for comments. When contacted, Aftab Memon, DS Karachi promised to comment on the issue after but later he backed out of his promise and didn't receive the call.