Bad governance & infirmity in public sector organizations

By Prof Dr Sohail Abbas Khan

Universally recognized proverb “Justice delayed, justice denied” is massively witnessed expressly in public sector organizations, middle-of-the-road. Where there is a lack of dispensation of justice, there is invariably a natural consequence of the devastation of the social fabric. One of the craziest factors of such a situation is either because of departure from the proper application of rules and regulations twisting their connotations or the finale of fear of accountability from the minds of the public functionaries. Now, the position is highly miserable and condemnable in government offices set up for resolution and amelioration of the general public experiencing multiple snags and hitches. The widespread heart-burning milieu in government offices is promptly whistling to an unpredictable ensuing design.

The Highhandedness of a few individuals in public sector organizations has desperately defeated the system probably because of manifold weaknesses in their conduct and character, particularly wealth to encounter own necessities, necessities of their contemporary and predicted posterity even, and nonexistence of high-level scruples &integrity. Every society subsists on high moral grounds, otherwise, its failure and in the long run annihilation become its way to termination.

In a nutshell, Professor Dr. Waheed-Ul-Hamid, sometimes and somewhere inscribes Waheed-Ul-Hameed, legally ex-Principle of de ’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore City, stood retired from government service on attaining the age of superannuation with effect from 09.10.2023 as per his original date of birth i.e. 10.10.1963. The documented position of his date of birth is as follows:

Numerous complaints have been lodged against him for illegal alteration in his date of birth after about 30 years of his birth with translucent material evidence. Anyway, to appease the complaint, a probe was conducted. Dr. Waheed-Ul-Hamid, sometimes and somewhere inscribes Waheed-Ul-Hameed, gave a blatant statement before the Probing Officer that his parents were illiterate and they had his date of birth registered erroneously Municipal Committee, Sargodha. Accordingly, he got the date of birth corrected.

The Highhandedness of Dr. Waheed-Ul-Hamid, sometimes and somewhere inscribes Waheed-Ul-Hameed, legally ex-Principle of de ’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore City and,in wider scope, over-riding position of alike people in Pakistan can be imagined that Controlling Authorities in system are so acquiescent before him that they are constantly made standing by him one way or the other. Wonderfully, none of the authorities in Management clutched his averment regarding the realization of illiteracy of his parents about getting his erroneous date of birth registered in the Municipal Committee, and that too after 30 years.

To linger on the issue deliberately, Health Department referred the matter to the Regulations Wing of S&GAD for advice, which, in turn, advised, strict senso, on 08.03.2024, under Rule

21 of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Appointment) Rules, 1974, to treat the date of birth of Dr. Waheed-Ul-Hamid, sometimes and somewhere inscribes Waheed-Ul-Hameed, legally ex-Principle of de ’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore Cityrecorded on his first entry into government service.

What an eccentric overbearingness of Dr. Waheed-Ul-Hamid, sometimes and somewhere inscribes Waheed-Ul-Hameed, legally ex-Principle of de ’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore City is that he still occupies the position, sans any dread of culpability before law despite the fact the present regime is founded to dispense with justice by eradicating deep-rooted perils and illegitimate practices rampant in public sector organizations. He is exercising all financial and administrative powers without scare. The management has shut its eyes on his illegal occupation of a highly valuable slot by letting him to carry on his unlawful activities. Management has ignored ultimate legal intricacies and repercussions which may also take it in its framework. Prima facie, Management is helpless owing to his overwhelming grip over the system. He openly utters that no one can take him to task being so influential to the level of the highest possible entity in government.

To conclude, I dare to make well-considered questions:

1. “Would there be anybody sitting at the highest position in Provincial Government, the Chief Minister, Punjab, being Competent Authority to take cognizance of extermination of Dr. Waheed-Ul-Hamid, sometimes and somewhere inscribes Waheed-Ul-Hameed, legally ex-Principle of de ’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore City for the protection of prestige of government and ensuring dispensation of justice with the doctors worthy of professional progression in line since long.
2. Would the Pay & Allowances and Perks & Privileges enjoyed by Dr. Waheed-Ul-Hamid, sometimes and somewhere inscribes Waheed-Ul-Hameed, legally ex-Principle of de ’Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore City be recovered from him to make good loss sustained by public exchequer.
3. Would there be an action against him to be initiated on charges of Misconduct and Corruption well defined under Section 2 of the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act, 2006 to ensure a check for the future of such highly overbearing entities exist in the public sector organizations.
4. Would there be exemplary accountability of the Managers who boosted up such public functionaries possessing different positions in the organizations bringing bad name to public representative government?

Prof. Dr Sohail Abbas Khan is Professor of Operative Dentistry. He has served as

1. Head of Dental section, Nishtar Medical College, Multan
2. Principal of de’Mocracy College of Dentistry, Lahore
3. Medical Superintendent of Punjab Dental Hospital, Lahore
4. Principal of Nishtar Institute of Dentistry, Multan
5. Project Director of Fatima Jinnah Institute of Dentistry, Lahore
6. Recently serving as Principal of Avicenna Dental College, Lahore