Zubair Qureshi
Islamabad
President Dr Arif Alvi has expressed his dismay and displeasure with the Pakistan Post for poorly tackling case of its disabled employee who upon retirement had sought his son’s appointment in the department on ‘disabled’ employees’ quota.
The president has directed the PP to appoint the said employee’s son within 45 days and submit a compliance report.
According to details an employee of the Pakistan Post in Sukkur, Muhammad Shahid had filed a petition/appeal in the Federal Ombudsman (FO) over rejection of his application seeking appointment of his son in the department as he was advised by a medical board to get retirement.
The department however rejected his application on the plea that his son was 7-month and 16-day over age and didn’t fill in the required criteria.
The application of Muhammad Shahid shows that he was retired on Jan 29, 2019 and filed his son’s case for appointment in the department he had served for decades. The department however, raised an objection on his application upon which Muhammad Shahid submitted his son’s CNIC that showed his son was born on July 7, 1988 and he moved a case in the Establishment Division for 5-year age relaxation.
However, the Postal Department kept delaying the case and finally dismissed his application that prompted Shahid to resort to the Federal Ombudsman that decided in his favour. The Pakistan Post instead of complying with the FO order moved an appeal with the President of Pakistan.
President Dr Alvi while expressing his disappointment at the non-compassionate and anti-workers treatment of the postal department to its employees dismissed the appeal and directed the department to comply with the FO orders and issue an appointment letter to the disabled employee’s son within the said time.
It is quite sad and disheartening that the postal department on a minor technical objection has denied its own disabled employee his just right.
The retired and disabled employees need our earliest attention, said a press release issued by the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Friday adding the federal government has already initiated a policy to facilitate the disabled persons in job and other relaxations and the postal department’s objections are against that policy. A simple case was made complicated raising unnecessary objections. The president has made it clear he will not tolerate any discrimination against the disabled persons.
