KARACHI: The appraising officials have ended their strike and started working on Monday after Chief Collector Abdul Rasheed Sheikh assured to address their grievances.
A committee for negotiations was formed by Chief Collector comprising Collector Port Qasim Saeed Akram headed the team and two additional collectors Saeed Wattoo and Sanaullah Abro were part of the team.
Action Committee comprises of Irshad Shah, Sultan Aurungzeb, Dost Mohammad, Javed Khalid, Qasim Sheikh and Noor Ilahi.
Appraising Officer Dost Mohammad played an important role and getting the strike ended as he constantly remained in contact with Chief Collector and other officers.
Dost Mohammad informed that Chief Collector had assured that no disciplinary action would be taken against officials participated in the strike.
Appreciation of officials was ended a long time ago, which is because of the communication gap. Saeed Akram suggested elections of appraising officers association.
The grievances of appraising officials include non-observance of official working hours and gazette holidays (including Saturdays and Sundays) and compelling for late sitting beyond the office hours; suppression of basic legal rights of liberty, honor & communication etc; verbal instructions regarding official work such as not to send or send GDs to subsequent folder, may be discontinued. In case any instructions are required, the same may be issued in writing.
Unnecessary and undue interference of Chief Collector in official working towards assessment and examination staff, may be avoided. Insulting attitude of supervisory officers such as physical search of the relevant desk and passing of the insulting remarks to the subordinates may be avoided.
Assurance of payment of special allowance being paid by the off dock terminals to the concerned Examining Officers. Special arrangements for expenses of law cases, audit cases, Custom Tariffs and others miscellaneous charges.
Assurance that no staff shall be nominated in FIRs without proper initial inquiries by Fact Finding Committee comprising by AO / PA / DC / ADC headed by concerned Collector.
Assurance speedy finalization of disciplinary proceedings against staff as required under the law. To undo action taken against staff of MCCA West as the enquiry proved them innocent.
Since unsticking of the GDs from the AC/DC takes time subject to his availability, therefore, assessing o0fficers may have option to unstick GDs, at his own level having multiple items of different PCTs for detail and proper assessment.
Assessing officer may also have the option to route the GD through concerned AC/DC through folder. Pursuing the cases at Tribunal level through DRs and legal counsels: Assurance that no IDs of the assessing staff shall be blocked without approval of the Fact Finding Committee.
Discontinuation of daily reports. If any report is required the same may be retrieved from the system because preparation of such statements increase dwell time of the assessment.
A joint committee may be constituted under the chair of Collector MCCA West including officers of ADC/DC level and representatives of the concerned associations which may met on regular scheduled interval to sort out the problems/grievances of the staff/ Timely/speedy disposal of house hiring cases.
Most of the demands were accepted and assurance was given the rest would be accepted soon.