KARACHI: It has emerged that almost 122 key administrative positions in several departments of the Sindh government are currently vacant and almost 66 institutions are functioning without heads.
According to details, additional posts have been given to officers, while dozens of officers are being neglected. Almost eight departments of the province have vacant positions for 20th grade secretaries.
The positions include Secretary Information, Secretary Livestock, Secretary Human Rights, Secretary Higher Education Commission, Secretary Energy, Secretary Excise Taxation, Secretary Sindh Privatization Commission, Director General Sindh Building Control Authority.
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) has also been suffering due to the shortage of manpower. KWSB’s Managing Director (MD) has been appointed on permanent basis yet.
Meanwhile, opposition parties in Sindh have strongly criticized Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led provincial government for not appointing officers on the vacant seats.
Talking to M.M News in this regard, Opposition leader in Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi has asserted that the Sindh government was finding corrupt officers for 122 administrative posts. “This is a serious mismanagement for which Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and relevant ministers of the department are responsible,” he added.
Former provincial minister and PSP leader Shabir Qaimkhani has also criticized the PPP government, saying that there are many dutiful officers who have been neglected by the PPP government and they appoint officers of their choice.
He also claimed that a large number of non-local officers have been appointed in Karachi institutions due to discriminative policies. “This type of treatment is creating a sense of deprivation in the people of Karachi,” he remarked.
When contacted by M.M News in this regard, former MQM MNA Rehan Hashmi has asserted that officers were being appointed on political grounds. “Due to this mismanagement, the province is facing problems,” he added.
In this regard, PPP leader Sajid Jokhio rejected the opposition’s claims and told M.M News that the government is appointing officers. “Yes, there are many officers sitting at home but those will be appointed first who are qualified,” he informed.
He further said that PPP was against corruption and in this regard the provincial anti-corruption department is in full swing. “There are few vacancies in Sindh which will soon be filled by appointing deserving officers,” he concluded.
