Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, has granted one-year extension to two ''politically appointed'' trade officers in Brussels (Belgium) and Santiago (Chile), setting aside the recommendations of their respective ambassadors, sources close to Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister told Business Recorder.
The names of trade officers are Ayesha Saeed (daughter of Senator Gulshan Saeed, member Senate''s Standing Committee on Commerce) and Shaharyar Talpur, (son of Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur, member of Standing Committee of National Assembly). In contrast Prime Minister is said to have endorsed the recommendations of Pakistan High Commission to the UK by granting extension to Sara Najeeb.
Senior Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Commerce Secretary Zafar Mahmood reportedly did not support an extension but left the decision to the Prime Minister''s discretion. The source said Islamabad High Court (IHC in its judgement in case of Noman Aslam versus the Federation vide writ petition No 2869/2010 (in which the three officers selected from private sector were respondents including Ayesha Saeed and Shaharyar Talpur) observed: "as far as appointments of respondents no. 1 to 4 are concerned, presently there is hardly 1 to 2 months left in their tenure of posting, so no relief, even so if granted against them, would be of any use."
Ayesha Saeed was appointed as Commercial Secretary at Brussels on February 15, 2010 and her two-year tenure expired on February 14, 2012. The tenure of trade officers is two years extendable by one year on the basis of performance of the officer as per 2005 policy approved by the then prime minister.
Ayesha Saeed''s application, received by the Commerce Ministry on November 4, 2011, sought promotion to BS-19 and a further extension in service for two years and permanent appointment by the Government of Pakistan. However, when the Commerce Ministry sought the comments of Pakistan''s ambassador to Belgium, Jalil Abbas Jilani, the latter wrote a three-page letter advising against an extension and levelled forgery charges on Ayesha in addition to her unsatisfactory performance.
Shaharyar Talpur was appointed as Commercial Counsellor at Santiago on December 29-12-2009 and his two-year tenure expired on December 28, 2011. Shaharyar has sought induction in government service and further extension in contract for two years. Pakistan''s ambassador to Chile also wrote adverse remarks against the trade officer, saying that his appointment was unfair and Talpur''s performance for trade promotion was disappointing as he lacked basic qualification to represent Pakistan abroad. He can neither speak English nor write it accurately, he said adding: "Shaharyar''s performance is disappointing from the point of view of ''trade promotion'' and other trade related work."