Concerns voiced over govt decision to lay off daily wage, contractual employees
The 3rd meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was held under chairmanship of Ibrar Ahmed.
While responding to 'the Protection of Rights of Regularised Civil Servants and Employees Bill 2024,' moved by MNA Khursheed Ahmed Shah, Inamullah Khan said the government has abolished 60 percent of the vacant vacancies since the government is no more in a position to bear the cost of these vacancies.
He apprised the members that as per the judgement of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on 01.11.2017, 'No one is allowed to hire any person on daily wages, contract basis, in any project, organisation Office, Ministries/ Divisions, etc.; except in accordance with law.'
He said that in the judgement, it was also mentioned that all persons have to be appointed on permanent post only and appointment on ad-hoc basis could not be considered for regularisation and no individual could claim any legal right for regularisation under any consideration while appointed on ad-hoc basis.
'All project employees who are appointed in BS-16 and above on projects could not claim regularisation of their services unless their projects have been converted from development to non-development phase by the government of Pakistan.
The secretary said the Supreme Court also upheld the IHC's stance in its judgement on 13-09-2024. By stating: 'Foregoing in view, it is concluded that the High Court correctly understood the controversy at hand and made a well-founded decision based on the relevant laws on the issue.'
He said in the appointment letter of contractual employees it is clearly mentioned that during the service they will not seek permanent employment.
Khurshid Shah, on this occasion, said that the Parliament is above the judiciary and the judiciary could not overrule the legislation passed by the Parliament. He said the daily wagers and contractual employees working in the government departments deserved to be regularised. The chairman committee said majority of daily wages and contractual employees become overage for civil service exams and if their services would be terminated then it will be great injustice.
Pir Ameer Ali Shah Jeelani said one of the ministers assured us that no employee of Utility Stores Corporation would lose their jobs and they would be accommodated in other departments. But now these 17,000 Utility Stores employees are protesting on roads in such harsh weather conditions for the restoration of their jobs. The members said syllabus of Public Service Commission exams changed after every two to three years which made it very difficult for the contractual or daily wages employees to pass. They said how the government can abolish the posts of lower grades such as of drivers and gardeners when they needed them.
The committee also recommended to the Establishment Division not to take any action against any employee which came under the purview of the legislation till its final outcome.
On this occasion, commending the Establishment Division and Finance Division on attaining ISO 9001 certification, the committee has recommended that all the ministries should follow suit and get them certified as per international certification standards.
The secretary Establishment Division apprised the committee about the working of the division and its core functions. He apprised that management of four occupational groups of services of Pakistan came under its purview besides regulation of all matters related to the recruitment, promotion, verification of character and antecedents, conduct and discipline and terms and conditions of civil posts in connection with affairs of the Federation.
Apprising about the last five years performance of the Division, he said that special professional pay scales were introduced, head hunt was conducted to meet professional manpower requirements for technical posts, rules for promotion of civil servants were revised besides revision of policy for upgradation/ re-designation of posts and other rules were carried out. He informed that with technological advancement, Establishment Division had adopted human resources management information system. Apprising about the ongoing initiatives, the secretary said that deputation policy was being revised, updating of Esta Code, Establishment Manual and Secretariat instruction was being carried out.
The meeting was attended by MNAs; Tahira Aurangzeb, Nuzhat Sadiq, Dr Nelson Azeem, Ali Asghar Khan, Khurram Munawar Manj, Syed Raza Ali Gillani, Shahida Begum and Rana Ansar, Ehsanul Haq Bajwa, Muhammad Aslam Ghumman, through Zoom, movers; Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah, MNA and Sahibzada Sibghatullah, MNA, the secretary Establishment Division and other officers of other concerned departments also attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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