UNISAME DEMANDS APPOINTMENTS OF COMMERCIAL ATTACHES ON MERIT

The commercial officers posted in foreign countries play a very important role in promoting exports of Pakistani goods and need to have experience and training in the promotion of goods manufactured in Pakistan especially by the SME sector.

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has invited the attention of prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif to the appointments of inexperienced officers as commercial attaches for overseas postings to promote trade between Pakistan and the foreign countries.

UNISAME officials said the appointments must be on the basis of experience and regretted that appointments to these crucial post are over looking seniority and merit and as a result exports will suffer.

There is and also lack of prompt decisions in the appointments of vacant post in government departments and in the constitution of boards of several authorities due to which the institutions are unable to function efficiently.

The union pointed out that besides lingering of important appointments, it is very surprising that all decisions are taken in the PM secretariat with no respect or regard to the recommendations received from the relevant institutions on merit and seniority.

There are instances of appointments of officers and members of the board who are not as such eligible and the recommendations sent from the institutions and the concerned ministries are ignored.

It seems that all decisions are taken at the PM secretariat by bureaucrats who enjoy the confidence of the PM even though they are not very senior and not in a position to make important placements in different grades and ministries.

The committee members of UNISAME invited the attention of the PM to the need to consider the recommendations coming from the institutions rather than give free hand to officers in the PM secretariat to make appointments of their choice as this would injure the rights of seniors and those who stand on merit.

Many seniors are perturbed by decisions made by officers in the PM secretariat and are eager to bring the matter to the notice of the PM but are afraid of the consequences and are therefore silent on the issue.

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