KARACHI: The Sindh finance department has detected gross violations of rules and regulations in appointment of new employees as well as promotions of those already working in the education, irrigation and many others departments of the provincial government at district level, it emerged on Sunday.

Official sources and documents reviewed by Dawn showed violations of the Sindh Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules of 1974 in hiring and promotions of different employees.

Informed sources said that new employees between grades 1 and 15 were being appointed at the district level without following prescribed rules. Similarly, it was revealed that the promotions were also being given in disregard of rules concerned of promotions.

An official source said that recently on May 30, around 96 junior school teachers (JSTs) in Grade-15 were promoted as high school teachers (HSTs) in Grade-16. These promotions have been made by the director-education of Larkana region against posts of HST, though Appointing Authority for BPS-16 as per the Sindh Civil Servants Appointment Rules 1974 is the administrative secretary of the department concerned.

Finance dept asks Accountant General to stop salaries, refer such cases for inquiry

Moreover, the sources said that local irrigation officials were also involved in changing category of employees, which was also a violation of laws and rules.

They pointed out that if there was a sanctioned post of watchman, the executive engineer concerned or other officer of the irrigation department changed the category of watchman to a tube-well operator.

Besides, in certain cases in district-specific new hiring of employees, the condition of domicile was violated as outsiders were accommodated in the districts other than of their domicile and permanent residence due to unknown reasons.

Taking cognizance of these violations of rules by attached departments at district level in recruitments of employees of grade 1 to 15 and promotions of incumbent officers, the provincial finance department wrote a letter to the Accountant General, Sindh, District Accounts Officers and other relevant authorities on June 7, 2022.

It stated in the official communication that “subordinate offices of different departments are promoting their employees without observing the Sindh Civil Servants (appointment, promotion and transfer) Rules, 1974” and even recruitment rules of the posts were not followed in some cases.

The finance department reminded the attached departments that “the Rule 4 of the Sindh Civil Servants Rules provides that authorities competent to make appointment to various posts shall do so on the recommendation of the departmental selection committee or promotion committee, constituted under Rule 5”.

Therefore, the finance department advised the relevant authorities to follow relevant requirements before hiring newly appointed employee or fixation of pay of promoted employees.

These requirements in case of initial appointment pertained to availability of sanctioned and vacant posts, which should be advertised in newspapers and recommendations of the selection committee constituted under Rule 5 must be obtained, it added.

Besides, other requirements included issuance of appointment order by appointing authority under Rule 4.

Fulfilling requirements of qualification of candidates, obtaining medical certificate of fitness, age and character certificate were also deemed imperative. Last but not the least; appointments must be in accordance with seven relevant provisions contained in the said Civil Servants Rules of 1974.

Similarly, for promotions of officers, the relevant rules stated that promotion has to be given against sanctioned and vacant post on the basis of recommendations of the departmental promotion committee/board and promotions should be given by the appointment authority under the rules.

Besides, the promotions should be made as per the notified recruitment rules of the post and required qualifications of the department concerned.

The finance department asked the AG-Sindh to stop the salaries of employees whose appointments or promotions were made in violation of the rules and refer these cases to departments concerned.

“The cases of pay fixation/salary release regarding any initial appointment or promotion carried out in contravention of any provision of Sindh Civil Servants Rules, 1974 may not be entertained and it may be referred back to the administrative department concerned with the relevant observations for clarification/justification,” said the letter.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2022