Web Desk: Authorities in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Mardan have launched a crackdown on government employees who draw salaries from the public treasury without performing their assigned duties, with seven employees from the education department already dismissed, according to local sources.
Officials are compiling lists of suspected “ghost employees” across government departments to verify their postings, attendance and actual work responsibilities. Some employees are allegedly performing duties at the offices of lawmakers or other locations instead of reporting to their designated workplaces.
According to sources, authorities have dismissed seven employees from the education department as part of the ongoing action, while proceedings have begun against another seven.
The cases will be handled under the applicable rules, the sources said, without providing further details about the employees or the grounds for their dismissal.
Meanwhile, the district administration is collecting employment records and other information from various departments to establish whether staff members are carrying out their official responsibilities.
Deputy Commissioner Mardan has also sought lists of suspected employees from the health department, opening the way for a review of staff attendance and duty assignments in the sector.
The review will focus on employees who allegedly remain absent from their designated workplaces or perform duties elsewhere while continuing to receive government salaries.
Authorities are expected to use departmental records and information received from officials to identify further cases of suspected misconduct.
Sources said the commissioner of Mardan Division has made clear that action will be taken against government employees who receive salaries from public funds but fail to perform their assigned duties.
The investigation is expected to extend beyond the education and health departments as officials examine records across other public institutions.
The initiative aims to strengthen attendance monitoring, ensure that government employees fulfil their official responsibilities and prevent the misuse of public funds, the sources added.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed the total number of employees under scrutiny or provided a timeline for completing the review.
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