DIG made Sindh prisons acting IG

KARACHI: On its last working day, the Sindh governmen has posted Prisons Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Anwar Mustafa, a BS-20 official who is third on the seniority list, as department’s Acting Inspector General (IG).

The Sindh chief secretary issued the order on August 11, 2023, the posting order that directed the IG Prison Qazi Nazeer Ahmed to report Sindh Home department.

The order apparantly violates the service rules, orders of the Sindh High Court and the Supreme Court of Pakistan, but sources in the government insist that there is no violation as the government is empowered to make a posting on temporary basis.

According to the service rules the post of the IG Prison is of grade 21 and as per the decisions of the apex court no officer of the lower grade can be posted on superior position.

DIG, Prison Hyderabad range Anwar Mustafa, who is at the number three in seniority list, previously was posted at as acting IG Prison, bypassing the most senior officer Nasir Khan, when IG Qazi Nazeer Ahmed was on official leave for his training at National Management Course. As Nazeerâ€(tm)s training concluded, he was directed to report to the Sindh Home Department as Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

Anwar Mustafa on August 8, 2023, withdrew his earlier direction of August 2, 2023, made with the Accountant General (AG) Sindh about recovery of excessive amount drawn by 17 officers of the Department in their salaries above than their positions and grades.

Acting IG Mustafa in his letter sent to Accountant General, Sindh, had sought stoppage of the salaries of the said 17 officers of the Department and recovery of undue amount paid to them above their grade and rank.

Acting IG Sindh Prions Syed Anwar Mustafa told The News that as he was on the verge of retirement from government service, so the Department gave him opportunity to serve as IG till retirement with the consent of the IG Prison Qazi Nazeer Ahmed. He admitted that he was at number three in seniority list but termed the decision of his posting purely as per law and absolute discretion of the government. Replying to a question, he said that he withdrew his earlier order but strictly directed for drawing of their salaries as per their actual grade and ranks in future.

Though the IG Prisons Qazi Nazeer Ahmed avoided to respond on the issue despite of many times calling him and sending him detailed text messages. But the close circles of IG Qazi Nazeer claimed that he did not give any consent to post any junior officer at his position.

Chief Secretary, Sindh Muhammad Sohail Rajput did not respond the query of this reporter despite of calling his cell number and sending text message, but sources in his office insisted that government that no rule was violated in making the appointing on acting charge basis.