Bureaucrat holds office contrary to cabinet’s decision

ISLAMABAD: In defiance to a decision taken by the cabinet, a bureaucrat is still holding an important role and enjoying all perks and privileges. Recently, a notification was issued which heralds the appointment of Muhammad Sarwar Gondal as consultant to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Digital Census with effect from August 2021 to December 2021 against the pay and package as defined in the contract.

“The consultant on digital census will supervise all technical activities to Census Project Management Unit (CPMU) D.P Center and GIS Lab in PBS for the smooth functioning of Digital Census. However, Financial or Administrative tasks will be executed by Member RM(PBS),” the notification reads.

The official sources pointed out that reappointment case of Sarwar Gondal for the post of Member Support Service (MSS) was earlier turned down by the cabinet with the direction to advertise the post.

The sources added, “Sarwar Gondal is still coming to the office on regular basis and presiding over meetings. Meanwhile, he has also got consultancy from UNDP on SDGs.” Currently, he has been holding the position of a consultant from UNDP on SDGs for a few months.

Contrary to this, his office orders are related to supervising the data processing center and population management unit and his nameplate shows that he is a member of support services to PBS. Till the filing of this report, his name plate was still intact outside of his office in PBS. Although, consultants are not given proper offices and staff, he is still using official resources, including staff, vehicles and access to all the data. Ironically, access to official data, which he had access as Member SS, is not blocked, it may cause risks to official data security protocols.

When contacted, Secretary Ministry of Planning and Development Hamed Yaqoob replied, “Gondal is appointed as consultant on next census and helping with the digital exercise which is the first of its kind. The PBS does not have expertise in this kind of work. Gondal should not use official things as consultant.”