BADIN: Young workers with disabilities employed under the special quota of Sindh at different government departments and offices in Badin district have not received their salaries for the past one year, sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

After the Sindh Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill 2017 passed by provincial assembly of Sindh on 2/11/2017 and assented bythe governor, the provincial government issued directives of implementation of quota for differently-abled persons in Sindh jobs.

In Badin district 57 disabled persons appeared in the interview before the District Recruitment Committee (DRC) for appointment in pursuance of formula of five per cent of total existing vacant posts from BPS-1 to BPS11.

Only 17 disabled persons were recommended for appointment by the DRC,which includes six in health department, seven in education, two in population and two in highway department.

The candidates joined their duties after completion of all formulates.

The disabled employees on condition of anonymity told Dawn that despite physical disabilities, they were doing their office work with dedication.

They said due to lack of interest of the officials concerned, they were not being paid their salaries since past14 months and their IDs were not opened by the Accountant General (AG) Sindh office, and when they made request to their officers, they told them that the matter was under process with AG office in Karachi.

They said that they being disabled were unable to run from pillar to post to get their problems resolved, however, they had fulfilled all required formalities.

Meanwhile, parents of the disabled persons also expressed their resentmenton the apathy of the authorities saying that the officials were making unnecessary and undue delays in payments.

They demanded impartial inquiry into the matter.

TheysaidthatMohammad Ismail Rahu, minister for agricultural of Sindh, was apprised of the agony and he had assured them that their salaries would be released at the earliest.

Sources told Dawn that initial delay was caused when the AG office raisedobjections to the medical reports of the employees which showed the appointees were physically fit for job, while they were unfit.

A social worl(er, Maqsood Ahmed Chandio, said that it was regrettable that no official was prepared to look into the matter of the handicapped employees and the problems they were facing.

He urged the government to take necessary action to open the IDs of disabled employees and start making payment of salaries.