Posting of junior teacher raises eyebrows

Lahore: The recent posting of a BPS-17 lecturer against a BPS-18 administrative post with additional charge of BS-19 post by the Punjab Higher Education Department has raised many eyebrows with some stakeholders accusing high-ups of favouring the incumbent because of his political connections.

The lecturer, Muhammad Afzal, is among those over 90 ad hoc lecturers who were reinstated in March this year on orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Reportedly, the Punjab government had sacked the lecturers who had been serving for almost 14 years from service in 2001 instead of regularizing them.

It is learnt that during this period Muhammad Afzal started taking part in local politics, developed relations with senior leaders of the PML-N and also won elections at Union Council level in Dera Ghazi Khan.

According to sources in the department, as per rules the post of DO Colleges was to be filled from among the teaching cadre, however, the candidate should have been an assistant professor of BS-18. They said similarly the recently created post of Director Colleges at divisional level was meant for associate professor of BPS-19.

They said at present not a single DO Colleges except of DG Khan was of BPS-17 while adding similarly all posts of Director Colleges had been filled except of DG Khan Division.

They even claimed the Establishment Wing of the department was intentionally not filling the post of Director Colleges of DG Khan so that the lecturer kept enjoying 'authority'.

The sources said the department had to face political pressure each time appointment was to be made on administrative posts as such postings were always considered lucrative as they offered various facilities such as official vehicle etc.

When contacted, Muhammad Afzal said his posting had nothing to do with politics adding his posting was ordered by the department secretary. To a question, he said he was verbally asked to look after the charge of Director Colleges.

Additional Secretary (Establishment) of the Punjab Higher Education Department Humayun Maqbool Bhatti claimed that the department had to face problems in posting officials against administrative posts in unattractive areas.

"We have to post even BPS-17 lecturers as principals in unattractive areas", he further claimed.

To a question whether any of the DO (Colleges) from any district of the province was of BPS-17, Bhatti said" "I cannot recall right now". He, however, maintained that the said DO had not been asked to look after the office of Director Colleges.

He said a summary was moved to the chief minister regarding appointment of Director Colleges at DG Khan Division however it was sent back with observations. He expressed hope that a regular incumbent would soon be posted at DG Khan.

Punjab Professors & Lecturers Association (PPLA) President Nazim Hasnain said the posting was certainly disappointing as merit was not observed. He said if the CM claimed supremacy of merit in the province than it should be same for all.