Protected by President Musharraf, and duly extended tenure of Ex-Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Autority (PTA) Maj. Gen (R) Shahzada Alam Malik at last reached to an end when he was shown the way to home by PPP government through premature termination of their contracts.
Following our national history and democratic culture, merit was assaulted yet another time in the bureaucratic front of Pakistan when Dr. Mohammed Yaseen overtook his senior colleague and member PTA Syed Nasurl Karim Ahmed Ghaznavi and became the chairman of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority.
As per Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-Organization) Act, 1996, Federal Government is responsible for the appointment of Chairman PTA. Government can select from Two Members of PTA board.
Dr Yaseen joined PTA board as member technical in October 2006 while Syed Nasurl Karim Ahmed Ghaznavi is a civil servant from 1974 batch, clearly getting a lead in terms of seniority.
Sources, familiar with the scenario, commented that this appointment can be termed as a true translation of Dr. Yaseen’s affiliation with PPP and his background from Sindh (though Dr. Yaseen was born in Gujranwala but moved to Sindh in his early childhood). Sources further unveiled that Dr. Yaseen joined PTA as 19th grade officer and was promoted to grade 21 in 2006 and now he is the head of a department in just 2 years, where as Mr. Ghaznavi was promoted to 21st grade in year 2001.
When contacted Federal Government, they responded with a justification that PTA is a technical department, hence requires more technical orientation and abilities instead of finance, so Dr. Yaseen was chosen unanimously by the committee.
Telecom analysts are opining other way; they firmly believe that Syed Nasurl Karim Ahmed Ghaznavi deserved this office as Chairmanship is not an engineering slot instead the head is responsible for regulate the telecom sector. Moreover, member technical is always there to look into technical matters if they ever arise. “Whatever the case is, there is no doubt that the supremacy of merit has been compromised” said a telecom analyst.
Mr. Ghazhnavi has been associated with telecom sector since 1992. Who can be a better regulator than him? Being an officer of Pakistan Audit and Account, which are trained in the art of regarding the public sector organization.
It is learned through reliable sources in PTA that authority is making massive changes in PTA in the name of “Reconstruction”, while remove senior and trained officers from their responsibilities and deputing less experiences and new people on a very delicate and important job slots.
