KARACHI: The officials and staff of Pakistan Customs, Inland Revenue appointed under “son quota“ continue to suffer as a procedural bar curtailing powers of Collector Customs, Commissioners and FBR creates impediment in appointments in grade 16.
According to details, Collectors Customs under rules of procedure can make appointments from Grade I to Grade 15 including Sepoy (BPS 5), LDC (BPS 7), UDC (BPS 9), Steno Typist (BPS 14 and Assistant (BPS 14) while appointments above BPS 15 can be made through Federal Public Service Commission.
The Collector Customs therefore cannot make the appointment in BPS 16 and above under ‘son quota ‘, which is in essence is a special quota.
The bar has been discouraging as the highly qualified persons holding degrees in Engineering, Medicine, MBAs , MS cannot be appointed as per qualifications, sources in the Customs said. The posts of Appraiser, Examiner and Inspector have been upgraded from BPS 15 to 16 thus , FBR, Collectors and Commissioners cannot make appointments to the upgraded posts hence eligible and needy candidates are suffering badly sources said.
Another impediment is that the appointment under son quota are not regular but contractual. These are renewable every two years and being contractual, the appointees have no career in the long run and were destined to be deprive of further promotions as allowed to the employees in regular cadre.
The sources said that a large number of cases are pending before superior courts on the issue and due to technical delay, the appointees are suffering besides Customs department is also facing constraints in its day to day affairs.