ISLAMABAD: Mazhar Ali Sarwar is an Assistant Commissioner, a BS-17 officer of Provincial Management Service (PMS), serving in Punjab under Chief Minister Usman Buzdar’s rule. Within a fortnight, he has been transferred five times.
On October 25, Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) issued a notification saying, “Mr Mazhar Ali Sarwar (PMS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore, is transferred with immediate effect and posted as Assistant Commissioner, Kasur, vice Syeda Amna Moudoodi.”
Five days later, on October 30, the S&GAD issued another notification announcing, “The transfer/posting orders of Mr Mazhar Ali Sarwar (PMS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore, as Assistant Commissioner Kasur, issued vide Notification No……. are hereby cancelled.”
A day later, on October 31, the S&GAD issued another notification to convey, “Mr Mazhar Ali Sarwar (PMS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore, is transferred with immediate effect and directed to report to Administrative Wing, S&GAD, for further orders.”
After five days, on November 5, the S&GAD first placed Sarwar’s services at the disposal of senior member, Board of Revenue, Punjab, Lahore but the same day issued yet another notification, cancelling the transfer/posting of Mazhar Ali Sarwar (PMS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore. The S&GAD said, “He is allowed to continue working as Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore.”
Four days later, on November 9, yet again the S&GAD issued another notification regarding the same officer and notified, “Mr MAZHAR ALI SARWAR (PMS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore, is transferred with immediate effect and directed to report to Administrative Wing, S&GAD, for further orders.”
Informed official sources said that the above is just one example of many such cases where the officers were transferred repeatedly because of pressures and political interferences and thus creating a situation where the governance appeared in complete disarray.
In yet another case, an officer Abid Shaukat, again an Assistant Commissioner, was transferred four times again within a fortnight.
According to S&GAD notification dated Oct 31, Abid Shaukat (PMS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner Nankana Sahab, was transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore, vice Mazhar Ali Sarwar.
Five days later, on November 5, the S&GAD issued another notification ordering the cancellation of Abid Shaukat’s appointment as Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore. The officer was further posted as Section Officer (Services-III) in the Services Wing of the S&GAD.
Four days later, on November 9, the S&GAD took another U-turn, cancelled Abid Shaukat’s appointment as Section Officer, Services Wing of the S&GAD and transferred him as Assistant Commissioner, Model Town Lahore.
In yet another case, Capt (R) Shahmeer Iqbal, a grade-17 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), has also been made a rolling stone and within a three weeks’ time he was repeatedly transferred.
On October 19, Shahmeer was notified by the S&GAD to have been transferred from the post of Assistant Commissioner, Khanpur. His services were placed at the disposal of Deputy Commissioner, Lahore for further posting.
A day later on October 20, the officer of Commissioner Lahore issued an order placing Capt (R) Shahmeer Iqbal as Assistant Commissioners Cantt Lahore.
Only after Shahmeer served as AC Cantt for hardly a week, the S&GAD issued another notification on Oct 30 to announce, “Capt Shahmeer Iqbal (PAS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner Lahore Cantt, is hereby transferred with immediate effect and posted as Assistant Commissioner Kasur, against a vacant post.”
Soon after, the October 30 notification of placing Shahmeer Iqbal as Assistant Commissioner Kasur was also cancelled and on November 1, the S&GAD issued the order, “The posting orders of Shahmeer Iqbal (PAS/BS-17), ex-Assistant Commissioner Lahore Cantt, as Assistant Commissioner Kasur vide notification …….., dated 30.10.2018, are hereby cancelled.”
The same day through the same notification, the S&GAD notified, “The services of Shahmeer Iqbal (PAS/BS-17), awaiting posting, are hereby placed at the disposal of Director General Punjab Food Authority for further posting.”
In yet another case of Punjab government’s administrative disorder, Assistant Commissioner Kallar Saidan Ali Akbar (PMS/BS-17) was initially transferred by the S&GAD as Assistant Commissioner Nowshera Virkan. Later on Oct 17, the S&GAD issued notification transferring Ali Akbar as Assistant Commissioner Ferozwala.
Two days later on Oct 19, the S&GAD cancelled its Oct 17 notification regarding transfer of Ali Akbar as AC Ferozwala and issued new order, “Mr Ali Akbar (PMS/BS-17), Assistant Commissioner Kallar Saidan, is hereby transferred with immediate effect and posted as Assistant Commissioner Shalimar Town Lahore.”
Informed sources said the external pressures and the interferences of the PTI MPs have gone rampant with assistant commissioners, DSPs and municipal service officers in different parts of the province. These sources said the PTI MPs and their government as against the party’s promise of depoliticising the bureaucracy and police, are now trying to control the administration at the grass roots level by appointing their choice ACs, DSPs, tehsildars and municipal offers.
These sources allege that the administration in Punjab is literally at the mercy of the ruling party’s MPAs and MNAs at this level. It is added that the officers at different levels are being advised to show deference to ruling party’s MPAs and MNAs.
Interestingly, in the same province under PTI’s Usman Buzdar, two provincial inspectors general police have been changed besides there have been certain complaints from deputy commissioners about pressure exerted by the PTI MPs to get their favourite tehsildars transferred to their choice circles.
When contacted by The News, Punjab’s Information and Culture Minister Fayazul Hassan Chohan said the transfer and postings of police officials is a routine matter. Talking about abrupt transfers of officers, Chohan said this happens in rare cases.
He added that this is the government’s prerogative to appoint officials of its choice on key posts. Even in developed countries like United States, he said, the new administration appoints likeminded people on key posts. Chohan explained that it is the political government who will be answerable to its people at the end of the day.
“We have the right to appoint the officials of our own choice because we have to be answerable to the people,” commented the provincial minister.
