In an interesting move, Pakistan Standard & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), has advertised at least 38 posts to legalise the "illegal appointments" made on political and other considerations bypassing the laid down procedures.
PSQCA, which made over 48 recruitment on Grade 2 to 18, during the last six months without advertising the posts and holding test and interview, finally advertised at least 38 posts from Grade 1 to 16 on Sunday after the officials in Ministry of Science and Technology took serious notice of the issue, it is learnt on Wednesday.
Though the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has almost completed its investigation into alleged irregularities and violation of rules by PSQCA, the fresh move by the authority proves that the appointments were made bypassing the government rules.
The PSQCA decided to advertise the posts, which are already occupied what it says on contingency basis. These posts include: Recovery Officers (BS-16), Account Officer (BS-16), Junior Recovery Officer (BS-16), Field Officer Examiner (BS-16), Administrative Officer (BS-16), Protocol Officer (BS-16), Store Officer (BS-16), Assistant/ Accountant/CSR/ JCO/Junior/Law Executive (BS-14), Hardware Technician (BS-12), KPO (BS-10), Copy Holder (BS-6), Driver (BS-4), Unskilled/Manual/ Watchman/Naib Qasid (BS-2) and Naib Qasid/Sweeper (BS-1).
For all the posts, except Administrative Officer (BS-16), suitable experience in related fields is needed. Interestingly, for Junior Recovery Officer (BS-16), the required qualification is M A (Mass Communication) or DAE Computer Information. According to sources, PSQCA has already filled some posts of BS-17 and BS-18 under the 'Aghaz-e-Haqooq Balochistan Package' making total 48 new recruitment despite a clear government ban on new recruitment. Sources said that the already recruited people might be adjusted/employed through test/interview to be conducted by the authority after the advertisement.
Talking to Business Recorder recently, Ghulam Omar Kazi, Secretary PSQCA, had claimed that due to a ban on new employment/ recruitment only 22 people were recruited on contingency basis during the last one year. According to him some recruitment was made through the Balochistan Package.
According to sources, the Ministry, which was reportedly not consulted by PSQCA while making recruitment without advertisement, had sought details about the illegal appointments from the authority. Earlier, according to details available with Business Recorder, over 48 direct appointments were made during the last six months on the recommendation of influential "political personalities" through the Secretary and Deputy Director (Admin) of PSQCA at Karachi.
The new appointments were made on the basis of contingency against fixed remuneration per month for 89 days without prior advertisement in the newspapers and meeting other requirements. A team of FIA, on complaints by the employees of PSQCA, has investigated the issue and is waiting for necessary action from the high ups. The investigation team has collected all necessary evidences and statements in this regard to initiate legal action against those involved in illegal practices.
The appointment letters to the new employees were issued against applications on single page and required documents submitted by the applicants. The beneficiaries were appointed on various positions including Assistant Directors, Field Officers, Protocol Officer, Accounts Officers, Admin Officers, Examiner, Legal Advisor, Senior Lab Technician, Stenographers, and others.
According to the documents, in BS-18, BS-17, BS-16, BS-14, BS-13, BS-7, Bs-4 and BS-2, at least 1, 12, 12, 10, 3, 4, 4, 9 persons were given the job respectively. These new employees have been assigned duties in various offices of the authority in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Hyderabad and Sukkur.