Scrutiny: Gilgit administration searches for “Ghost” employees of WASA
With reporting by Farman Karim Baig
Gilgit, September 2: Administrators in Gilgit city, the capital of Gilgit-Baltistan region, are trying to find out non-functional, ghost, employees from out of a group of 1300 people working for the city’s water and sanitation authority (WASA).
The employees were gathered today at the Lalak Jan Shaheed Stadium, where Faisal Zahoor (Secretary Works) along with other officers checked the office records and reconciled the lists of registered employees with the appointment letters issued. The documents were verified one-by-one. in order to identify the ones who have been absent from work, while enjoying perks and privileges.
Faisal Zahoor told Pamir Times that the step has been taken to identify and dismiss the ghost employees. He said that the excess employees are a burden on the region’s scarce financial resources.
It is pertinent to note that people of Gilgit have been facing difficulties due to disruptions in supply of water. Many of the WASA employees are believed to be working in other parts of the country, while some are running their own businesses, while at the same time taking salaries and other perks from the government.
It has also been learnt that the employees may also be verified physically in the second phase of scrutiny.
The Chief Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan has apparently issued strict orders to verify the employees and save the losses worth millions of rupees currently being incurred by the regional exchequer.
Good initiation of Gb top management towards proper utilization and pooling local resources whether that is human resources or material resources. A good visionary leader changes the scenario of area through many innovative approaches within available resources, as now a day it is happening on behalf of Chief Secretary and some of his committed professionals like Dc Ghizer as well. So far we have seen that managers (senior officials) as well as leaders are trained through formal training but do not make ensure its applicability. This thing directly links with the grooming and consciousness of professional. There are some professionals whose ultimate goal is earning too much legally or illegally whether it is lawful or unlawful. While some professionals prefer to serve the public for that those are paid by Govt. Research over all the world has shown that political parties become the main cause of this curse and that is why people do not rely on much on parties and they respect the leaders who devote their self for service of public.
It is well said that people make organizations and these organization transform the people for the betterment of humanity. A well known religious leader and society reformer has emphasized on these four characteristics of leadership.
1. A leader should have agile( quick response ) and adaptability mind
2. Pragmatic( to solve issues with practical and sensible way) and cooperation temperament
3. Ethical orientation
4. Capacity for intellectual humility
Keeping in view the above four indicators leadership can do self analyses that where they are stand.
We cannot assume that our all leaders should be scholars or philosophers but at the same time they should be an honest person as well.
The governance situation in GB that was witnessed in these last four years was alarming and shocking. The fault was not lying with Self Governance order that was within us whether this was leadership or public as well. Such unethical incidents were witnessed that deteriorated the GB image and discouraged the new generation.
The main flaws or weaknesses observed were as follows:
1. Basic human rights were violated and single department could not deliver services to public.
2. Merit was deteriorated in all matters whether this may be in recruitments, promotions or allocation of resources as well.
3. Professionals were influenced to gain support in the corruption by some figure heads( So called political leaders)
4. All the Govt systems were made dysfunctional through political influence and intervention
5. All resources were spent on non development programmes
6. No single mega project was launched to sustain GB
7. Not having check and balance on daily office routines, institutions became paralyzed and ineffective
8. Golden principles of Islam (pillars of good governance) that is equity, equality, honesty, transparency, accountability, fairness and responsiveness in daily routines were turn down and ignored at all level by leaders and management.
9. Office routines were not followed as all the employees of GB were not found in offices from 8 to 4, O clock. Hardly presence was observed for 6 hours in stead of 8 hours. This was responsibility of top leadership and management to ensure its follow up. Still it needs to be improving in following office routines.
If the above factors were considered in governance this package would be a source of inspiration for all gbians but unfortunately this was not witnessed in leadership dealing.