Infamous OPS (own pay scale) still stays in many government departments of the Sindh province despite the clear-cut orders of the Supreme Court that junior officers should not be posted to senior slots in the garb of own pay scale; however, the OPS prevails in many departments as it suits the political interests of rulers, further poor governance in the province.
Sources told PPI that more than one dozen junior officers of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) have been enjoying the perks of high-grade government posts despite the SC order that were issued before July to send the juniors to their deserving posts. The sources said that not only disobedience of the SC verdict is overlooked but the orders of Karachi Administrator Rauf Akhter Farooqui also are thrown behind the back. Farooqui had issued a circular notice to all officials to go back to their previous posts where they were assigned before 'OPS' based transfers but the officials had kept holding the positions on the basis of having relationships with higher authorities and ministers. However, the KMC had submitted to the SC in its order's response in which it was acknowledged that more than 17 junior officers had been removed from the senior offices and sent back to their original postings as per their pay scale.
The sources said some of those officers were not only reluctant to leave senior posts but also were trying to occupy those seats permanently. This has created a scene of mismanagement in the departments where senior officers are compelled to work under non-deserving junior officials. This situation could be easily witnessed in parks and horticulture, health, budget, finance, land recovery and accounts departments of Sindh, where some junior officers were not ready to leave the senior posts.
Same situation is also in the Karachi Development Authority, Karachi Water & Sewerage Board and District Municipal Corporations. On the other hand, several officers are working on dual posts in the KMC, including the offices of secretary local bodies and metropolitan commissioner, municipal services and IT, human resources management, law, technical services and parks & horticulture.