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A LAMENT OF A SERVANT WORKING IN THE UNION COUNCIL MARGHUZ, DISTRICT SWABI, NWFP, ON THE OCCASION OF 1ST MAY 2008.
Mr. Mohammad Ghani son of Usman Ghani village Marghuz, Tehsil and District NWFP, Pakistan was appointed as Naib Qasid on the vacant post in the Union Council Marghuz Tehsil Swabi by the Administrator Union Council Marghuz, Tehsil Swabi on 31-3-1993 on fixed salary of Rs. 500/- per Month. His salary is now Rs. 2500/- per month. He is working on this post for the last 14 years but he has not been given that salary and allowances which are admissible to him under the laws of the Country.
When the above story was narrated to me by Mohammad Ghani, I was amazed at the brutal violation of laws and negligence on the part of those institutions whose creation was effected on the spirit to perform their duty to the best of their abilities and to ensure the quality of life to each one and give relief to the aggrieved of the locality.
His salary and the job, which he performs at present indicates that he is neither a regular permanent Class IV for the last 14 years nor on Contract Employment nor a daily wager. I do not know under which categories of laws he has been subjected to work. He perplexed me enough when he said that was not alone but many persons like him were working in the union councils of the District on such amounts.
He said to me that the officials of NCHD (National Commission for Human Development) regularly held meetings in the Union Council but no one paid attention to him. He further told me that the matter was in the knowledge of everyone but everyone pushed the time. I stopped him when he said that no one is ready to do justice with him and to convey his lament to those sitting in Islamabad and are busy in solving one issue"”how to restore the displaced Judges? He wanted to say more but I did not allow him, began to ponder on the question that under which law the said person has been subjected and works in the Union Council for the last 14 years? Neither he has been treated nor as Civil Servant nor a labour. Why?
When people say that there is no concept of rule of law, they have such like evidence in shape of Mr. Mohammad Ghani and others. To whom we deceive every year and observe 1st May in the Country?
Finance Department, Government of NWFP issued a Notification NO. BI/1-1/92-93/FD Dated Peshawar the 4-11-1992 under the subject of "Appointments of specified categories of staff on fixed salaries" and incorporated a decision of the Provincial Cabinet meeting held on 21-5-1992 "--- in future the non-education cadre posts in the Education Department such as Chowkidars, Naib Qasids, Malis, water Carriers, Sweepers etc, be filled on contract basis, in order to get rid the Provincial Exchequer of the extra burden on account of future pensionary liabilities". This policy of appointment was extended to other departments.
It may be recalled that in 1992, the ANP and PML (N) had a coalition Government in the Province of NWFP. The decision of the above notification indicates that the above persons had been rendered on contract only to save the Provincial exchequer because there was a burden on it due to payment of pension to these poor people! Very strange. I salute to the spirit of Patriotism of the big ones of this Country. What is the salary of class IV and what will be his pension? This duplicity in the characters of the big ones has destroyed the peace of mind of every citizen, especially like those of Mohammad Ghani who are not paid even that salary which is admissible to them under the laws even framed by these big ones.
The record of those who got loans from Banks and then written off is with the State Bank of Pakistan. Real justice demands that all those persons, without any exception, be compelled to repay the amounts to the Government so that the people like Mohammad Ghani be properly compensated for their past services on their posts since their dates of appointments. When the Parliament can restore the deposed Judges then the people aggrieved since their dates of appointment can also be compensated. Justice is not that only that a judge should be restored to his post but the real justice is that the person who has properly served an institution should be given his due salary. It seems to me that the concept of Justice of people of Pakistan is one and that of its rulers is another despite that all under living under one Constitution and laws.
Everyone was enjoying the benefits of his post but Mohammad Ghani was appointed on such humiliating amount 14 years ago. He has to sustain his family in this situation of price-hike. No restoration of a Judge, no package for 100 days or 1000 days, no Constitutional package, no struggle for the Provincial Autonomy, no constitution of a Committee of any province is the remedy of Mohammad Ghani and his other colleagues. They have one problem that they should be given salary accordance to that law which the rulers of this Country have framed for them. They need no luxurious cars, furnished bungalows, high privileges etc. They need only which is due to the Government and is their legal right guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.
I request the President and the four Governors to constitute committees at Federal and Provincial levels to find out in all the departments of the country the payment of salaries to class IV persons. They are totally at the mercy of President and the four Provincial Governors. In this way, the requirements of the 1st May can be fulfilled when an employee is properly compensated by the President or the Governor without going to any Court of law for litigation against the Government and in this way the spirit of a welfare State can be fulfilled when the President and Governor himself take interest in the grievance of a poor person.
Manzoor Ahmad
B.Sc; L.L.B M.A. Political Science,
Marghuz Balar Khel, District Swabi, N.W.F.P. Pakistan.
Mobile No: 0345-9503142.
Dated: 2-5-2008
Email: manzoorahmadjalalmallb@hotmail.com 
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