Daily Times

Deputationist teachers, who have been working with the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) under the wedlock policy on Thursday raised objection to the committee constituted by the regulatory body’s director-general, terming its members of extreme misdemeanour.

The teachers stated that some members of the committee are inimical to the continuation of their services in FDE who have umpteenth times, ill-advised and misguided the court through sheer lies and misinterpretation of previous court orders.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC), while nullifying the repatriation orders of the deputationist teachers, had directed the FDE director-general to constitute an impartial high-level committee to scrutinize the cases of each and every teacher individually to extend maximum facilitation to them under the wedlock policy.

However, the FDE director-general has constituted a four-member committee consisting of FDE officials including Shahab Saqib, Azam Gakhar and Rehan Naqvi, who, according to the aggrieved teachers, while misinterpreting the court order had issued their repatriation orders before it was annulled by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minalllah.

While taking exception to the misinterpretation of the order issued by IHC judge Gull Hassan Aurangzeb, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had taken the FDE officials to task for failing to apply legal mind and carefully reading the judgement before issuing the stereotype repatriation order.

The deputationist teachers say that while the IHC had directed the FDE director-general to constitute a high-level committee to look into the matter, the latter has included the same FDE officials, who themselves are facing serious allegations of irregularities and wrongdoings including getting promotions and favouring their near and dear ones in schools.

The deputationist teachers have alleged that the FDE officials had lied in the court that the deputationist teachers could not be accommodated under the wedlock policy after completing the five-year term despite the fact that as Director Schools, Shahab Saqib, on 2-04-2018 recommended to the Secretary CA&D Division Islamabad vide letter number (1-21-2018) that “rule 20-A of Civil Servants (APT) Rules, 1973, exempts a specific group of employees (including teachers in the education institutions under the FDE) whose services are borrowed under the wedlock policy after completion of five-years term”.

They, by implications of such exemption from rule 20-A, can continue staying in the borrowing department for an unspecified period of time provided their parent departments consent to their stay by providing by providing NOCs on yearly basis”

In 2015, former director schools FDE Farida Yasmin vide letter number (F.9-14/2015/FDE, 20-05-2015) had also recommended to the Secretary CA&D to permanently absorb the deputationist teachers MT (BS-09), EST (BS-14) and TUGT (BS-14) in the FDE after their completion of five-year term and who fall under the wedlock policy and be exempted from repatriation under rule 20-A .

The Establishment Division, in order to facilitate working government female employees, with the approval of Prime Minister, had also issued wedlock policy (vide OM No. 10/30/97-R-II dated 13-05-1998 as amended on 17-12-1999 and 21-04-2006) … stated that such cases which are covered under wedlock policy are exempted from the maximum period of five years. The Establishment Division further said that “The period of deputationists under the wedlock policy is extended on periodic basis subject to the grant of NOC by the parent department of the deputationist/incumbent.”

From time to time, the FDE extended the deputation period of teachers after they provided the NOCs from their parent departments and, at the same time, the FDE asked the parent departments of several teachers — who had completed the five-year term under FDE — to provide NOCs for their permanent absorption. Interestingly, after several deputationist teachers brought the NOCs, the FDE refused to induct them under the one pretext or the other while absorbing some teachers who were well connected with the officials.

Deputationist teachers say that the FDE has again issued stereotype orders while misinterpreting the paragraph 4 of IHC judgment by issuing a bogus proforma, asking the teachers to appear before the committee. They said that while many teachers are either not included in this petition or have other petitions pending in the court, the FDE has again issued the lopsided order and proforma while placing the gun on the shoulder of the court.

Legal experts say that the induction of deputationists teachers has not even been mentioned in the new proforma issued by the FDE to the deputationist teachers. According to legal experts, the FDE proforma has been presented in such a way as if the services of these deputationists teachers has been assumed as permanent.

On the other hand, sources said that Shahab Saqib, whose services had been retained by FDE director-general again to do away with the deputationist teachers, had earlier provided a fake experience certificate and other documents, while appearing as a candidate before the Federal Public Service Commission, for the position of a director and DG FDE. The fake credentials of Shahab Saqib have already been challenged in the IHC and one hearing has already taken place.

The sources also said that Azam Ghakar, Director legal adviser FDE, has inducted his wife as a school teacher at the age of 39 in clear violation of rules and with the connivance of some officials.

The sources said that the DG FDE has completely been kept under the darkness about the wrongdoings of the theses officials and they are trying to misguide him to sweep their dirt under the carpet.

On the other hand, the FDE building has virtually been sealed by deploying private security guards outside the entrance gate under the pretext of Covid-19 SOPs and no visitor and even pensioners are not allowed to enter the building despite the fact that the NCO has issued specific protocols in this regard.

Interestngly, pensioners are asked to contact on numbers mentioned on a leaflet hanged with the gate but no officials of the FDE attend to calls made by the visitors on their cell phones. Verbal skirmishes and scuffles have become a common occurance outside the FDE building while the DG FDE and other officials peep out from their windows above second and third floors. Most of the time, visitors are shoved back by the guards while some fight and make it to the building.

Interestingly, visitors and teachers are allowed at the education ministry and the secretary and deputy secretary offices in the secretariat building but the FDE doors are locked for them.

The sources said that some FDE officials have almost held the DG hostage to their whims and mis-briefing to sweep their own wrongdoings under the carpet by not allowing the aggrieved teachers to access him.

Some sources also claimed that some FDE officials, while taking advantage of non-permission order of the DG to the visitors, have started throwing private parties in their respective offices and some objectionable items have been found from the washroom of the visitor’s room.