RAWALPINDI: Questions have been raised over the educational qualifications and professional training of senior officials working in the Suthra Punjab Authority in Rawalpindi after a citizen rights activist sought official details from the Commissioner under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013.
Zaheer Ahmed Awan, Chairman of the Pakistan Citizen Rights Movement (PCRM), has submitted an information request through the Punjab Chief Minister’s Complaint Portal, asking how many officers and relevant staff members of the authority possess degrees, diplomas or professional certifications in environmental sciences and related disciplines.
The request has been addressed to the Commissioner Rawalpindi Division. It seeks information about the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Operations Managers, Assistant Managers, Sanitation Chiefs, Sanitation Inspectors and field-level supervisory staff of the Suthra Punjab Authority.
A key question raised in the application is how many of these officials have academic or professional qualifications in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Management or any related subject.
The applicant has also sought the total number of senior officers currently serving in the authority and details of their educational backgrounds. He has asked for the names and designations of Assistant Managers responsible for sanitation and other supervisory duties, along with their academic qualifications.
Information has also been requested regarding the number of Sanitation Inspectors and field-level supervisors currently employed by the authority, including details of their educational and professional qualifications.
The application further asks whether the CEO, COO and Operations Managers hold any degree, diploma or other professional qualification in environmental sciences or a related discipline.
Another part of the request concerns the appointment process. The applicant has sought certified copies of educational records, appointment criteria and eligibility requirements prescribed for the relevant posts, subject to applicable laws and privacy protections.
Awan has requested that the information be provided in both hard copy and electronic format. He has also asked that if any records are held by another public body or department, the relevant part of the application be transferred to the concerned Public Information Officer under the applicable provisions of the Right to Information Act.
Awan said Suthra Punjab was not merely a cleaning organisation, as its responsibilities included sanitation, solid waste management and activities directly linked with environmental protection and public health. He said it was important for citizens to know whether officials appointed to such positions had the education, training and professional experience required for their duties.
He said the purpose of the request was to promote professional standards, transparency, merit and accountability in the sanitation system. Public institutions receiving salaries and other benefits from taxpayers should be prepared to make relevant information about their performance and staff qualifications available to the public, he added.
The request does not accuse any named official of possessing a fake degree, lacking qualifications or securing appointment through illegal means. It seeks official records so that the qualifications and appointment requirements of relevant staff can be examined.
The response of the Commissioner and the information provided by the Suthra Punjab Authority will determine whether the requested details are available and what qualifications its senior and supervisory officials hold.
