ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-140-2009



22 October 2009
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PAKISTAN: A women in Sindh is barred from her job for nineteen years

ISSUES: Right to employment; working conditions
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Dear friends,

 
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has learned that a woman in Sindh has been arbitrarily denied her job in the civil service for nineteen years. Though officially appointed as a Social Welfare Officer in Karachi in 1990, she has been barred from taking up the job since, without explanation or official confirmation.

CASE DETAILS:

Ms. Saeeda Soomro was officially appointed Social Welfare Officer, Grade 16, by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) in Karachi in July 1990. She was offered the job through the correct channels, interviewed by a Larkana city official and chosen from among several candidates.

However when she reported for work Soomro was told at the secretarial office that her position had been canceled due to a flux in parliament (the government of then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had just been dissolved). Her attempts to get this decision in writing were rebuffed and she was told by officials that she would hurt her career if she tried to mount a legal case. Other civil servants in the district were reportedly treated in a similar manner.

As other officers continued to be recruited, her attempts to take up her position were rejected, though her job offer was never officially withdrawn. She reports having been continuously assured of an upcoming appointment, but this year officials at the department told her that she must abandon her claim.

This case is a clear breach of employment procedure and begs a great many questions about the operation and the professionalism of the Social Welfare Department. Saeeda Soomro's case must be dealt with according to procedure, and appropriate redress and compensation arranged where necessary.

SUGGESTED ACTION:

Please write to the officials below asking them to ensure that the case is investigated appropriately.

Dear -------,

Re: PAKISTAN: A women in Sindh is unofficially barred from her job for nineteen years

I am writing to express my concern about the case of a woman who has been arbitrarily denied her job at the Social Welfare Department for nineteen years.

Documents show that in July 1990 Ms. Saeeda Soomro was officially appointed Social Welfare Officer, Grade 16, by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) in Karachi. She was offered the job through the correct channels, interviewed by a Larkana city official, chosen from among several candidates and passed her medical examination. Her employment was confirmed by Mobeen Ahmad Khan, then secretary to the Sindh government, in writing on July 26.

However when she reported for work Ms. Soomro was told at the secretarial office that her job had been canceled because the government of then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had just been dissolved. Her attempts to get this decision in writing were rebuffed and she was told by officials that she would hurt her career if she tried to mount a legal case, and that she would still be employed at a later date. I am informed that other civil servants in the district were treated similarly.

During the following years other officers continued to be recruited, but Ms. Soomro's attempts to take up her position were continually rejected. However the decision was not officially confirmed and she has continued to be assured of her upcoming appointment. This year officials at the department told Ms Soomro that the job offer was too long ago and that she must abandon her claim.

I believe that this case clearly breaches employment procedure, and begs a great many questions about the operation and the professionalism of the Social Welfare Department. It appears that Ms Soomro is due an extremely belated official explanation, and may well be entitled to claim damages for the wages denied her during the last nineteen years.

Please ensure that her case is immediately taken up according to procedure, and that appropriate redress and compensation is arranged for her. The government officials proven to have been negligent in this case must be dealt with according to the law.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan
Governor of Sindh province
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 5043
Tel: +92 21 920 1201
E-mail: governor@governorsindh.gov.pk

2. Syed Qaim Ali Shah
Chief Minister
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
Email: pressecy@cmsindh.gov.pk

3. Mr.Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108
Email: sarfaraz_yousuf@yahoo.com

4. Ms. Tauqir Fatima Bhutto
Minister of women development
7th Floor, New Sindh Secretariat, Karachi, Sindh province
Fax: 92-21-99213886
Email: bhutto.tauqeer@hotmail.com

5. Mrs. Nargis N.D.Khan
Minister, Social Welfare
Government of Sindh,
Block 79, Sindh Secretariate,
Opposite MPA Hostel,
Karachi, Sindh province
PAKISTAN

Telephone: 92-21-99213867, 92-21-99213868
FAX -92-21-99213868

6. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: registrar@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk

7. Ms. Nadia Gabol
Minister for Human Rights
Government of Sindh,
Pakistan secretariat, Barrack 92,
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9207044
Tel: +92 21 9207043
E-mail: lukshmil@yahoo.com

8. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk 

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Thank you.

Urgent Appeal Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)