BoGs of Lower Mall school obsessed with ex-PAF officer

LAHORE:A retired officer of the Pakistan Air Force, whose re-appointment as an administrator of the Government Central Model School, Lower Mall, was termed irregular in an audit report, has now been made admin officer in the same institution at a higher salary.

An Audit Inspection Report (2009-10), a copy available with The News, observed that the administrator, Sqr-Ldr (r) Sheikh Muhammad Tariq, was a retired officer of the armed forces while NOC from the GHQ was not obtained while appointing him. It also observed that his age was 53 years at the time of appointment but age relaxation before appointment by the competent authority was not obtained.

The audit further observed that the post was not created before recruitment while administrative experience of 10 years was required as per advertisement but no experience certificate was found on record.

“The job description of the administrator was not notified. Audit is of the view that the Principal is the Administrator of the institution and as such there was no need to appoint and create a post of Administrator,” read the audit observation.

According to the documentary evidence available with The News, application of Sqr-Ldr (r) Sheikh Muhammad Tariq was received on June 26, 2009, while the last date as mentioned in the advertisement was June 12, 2009.

However, the former air force officer was appointed on approval of the school’s Board of Governors on July 1, 2009, for a period of two years with a fixed salary of Rs 40,000 per month.

The documents also revealed that after the Board of Governors in its 24th meeting, held on June 18, 2011, the contract of Sheikh Muhammad Tariq had been extended for another two years w.e.f July 1, 2011.

His new designation is Admin Officer while now his salary is Rs 60,000 per month.

An official of Schools Education Department Punjab, seeking anonymity, said the BoGs of the Govt Central Model School was empowered to make its own decisions in the interest of the school while he also claimed it was prerogative of the BoGs to relax rules.

Schools Secretary Aslam Kamboh said the department had nothing to do with the audit of the school as it was an autonomous institute working under the BoGs. He said the department could not interfere in issues related to appointments at an autonomous institute.

When contacted, Government Central Model School’s Board of Governors Chairman Justice (r) Aamer Raza said he had no knowledge of the audit report. He refused to comment further, saying it was a very old matter.The news.