LARKANA: As many as 18 BPS-17 grade Research Officers (ROs) working for the Sindh Works and Services Department (W&SD) have been deprived of promotions due to the lack of a proper service structure.
The RO’s were recruited through the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) in 1989 and most of them have been serving their department for over 28 years. A constitutional petition regarding the issue was filed at the Larkana Circuit Court by 14 of the affected RO’s on March 3rd 2006.
However, the Sindh Addition Advocate General sought disposal of the petition and gave direction to the Chief Secretary (CS) to give an appropriate order regarding the petitioners appeal. The Sindh High Court (SHC) passed the order but nothing has been done to promote these affected RO’s.
W&SD Secretary Aijaz Ahmed Memon sent a report to the Sindh Chief Minister (CM) on December 23, 2016 stating that there weren’t enough posts available for the RO’s, and promoting them would cost Rs. 665,652 per annum. He highlighted the fact that the RO’s had been trapped in the same positions for 28 years without any prospects for growth. Memon stated that an officer would normally be promoted to BPS-18 after five years of service, to BPS-19 after 12 years and to BPS-20 after 17 years. The secretary of the finance department Hasan Naqvi sent another summary to the Sindh CM on January 1, 2017 which was approved on January 12, 2017.
The summary stated that the W&SD may come up with a proposal for creation of a suitable number of posts of Senior RO (BPS-18) and Chief RO (BPS-19) but no proposal has yet been prepared and sent for approval by W&SD, which has forced the affected ROs to remain professionally stagnant. They have demanded that their situation be addressed immediately or they will abandon their government posts.
Published in Daily Times, September 20th 2017.
