PESHAWAR, May 7: Previous governments in the Frontier province have been appointing political advisers and special secretaries to accommodate political workers, but the coalition government led by Awami National Party’s Amir Haider Khan Hoti has not fared any better by appointing a political assistant against a government post in BPS-19.

The chief minister, using his discretionary powers, appointed his political secretary Syed Masoom Shah as an OSD in BPS-19. Mr Shah, a former tehsil nazim, contested the Feb 18 election, but could not win the seat.

He was appointed as an OSD in the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on fixed pay of Rs18,000 per month with other allowances and benefits admissible to a BPS-19 government servant, for a period of two years, said a notification issued by the establishment department on April 28.

The appointment of a political secretary of the ruling party has raised questions since there are five other OSDs in BPS-19 waiting for their adjustment and an additional OSD will burden the provincial exchequer. Seven OSDs are waiting for posting in BPS-20. An official of the establishment department also said political element was involved in this appointment. He said it would be a burden on the provincial exchequer.

The former government of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal also had a number of special secretaries, most prominent among them were Shamur Rehman Shamsi as political adviser and Rahim Haqqani as special secretary to the chief minister. The PML-N’s Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan Abbasi government (1997-99) also had Major (retired) Amir as an adviser to the chief minister.

Aftab Ahmed Sherpao, during his two terms in office, too, had made such appointments, but a senior government official said while previous governments used to appoint political advisers, this government had gone a step ahead and appointed an OSD, who technically could be assigned any high post in any department.

The chief minister and the OSD could not be reached for their point of view. But party officials said Mr Shah, who initially was appointed as political adviser, had to be readjusted as OSD to work as the chief minister’s main political trouble-shooter by looking after Provincial Assembly members.

This, said the party officials, was necessitated in view of an agreement between the ANP and the PPP that unelected people would not be appointed as advisers and special assistants. In essence, they said, Mr Shah would be assisting the chief minister in his day-to-day business with elected representatives.

Mr Shah had lost the Feb 18 general election from PF-21 (Charsadda-V) to Sikandar Sherpao, but still managed to get appointed as an OSD.

However, criticism began within the party about political appointment by the chief minister using his discretionary powers against a government post without following a transparent process and open competition.

Bushra Gohar, an MNA of the ANP, when contacted, said she personally was never in favour of discretionary powers. “I don’t support anything that doesn’t come through a transparent process even if it is within my party,” she said, agreeing that such actions could harm the image of the ANP.

“When we say we are Khudai Khidmatgars, we should prove it,” said Ms Gohar, who is also a member of a task force formed by the ANP to chalk out future strategy for the ANP-led Frontier government.

Latif Afridi, legal expert and provincial convener of Malgari Wakeelan, a lawyers’ organisation affiliated with the ANP, however, defended the appointment and said it was the government’s prerogative to appoint Mr Shah. “Whether you call him a political secretary or OSD the purpose is the same.”