Protest enters second day as bureaucrats demand removal of CM’s aide

PESHAWAR: Civil servants across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continued their strike on Tuesday for the second consecutive day, demanding the immediate removal of Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation Nek Muhammad from the provincial cabinet after his alleged “storming” of the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, using “abusive language and making life threats against secretary education.

The controversy started after the incident on September 12, when Nek Muhammad, accompanied by armed guards and private individuals, allegedly forced his way into the office of Secretary Elementary and Secondary Education Mohammad Khalid.

According to a special situation report issued by the department, the minister and his companions unlawfully intruded into the premises, intimidated staff and disrupted the working environment. The report stated that Nek Muhammad used abusive and derogatory language during a phone call with the secretary and even issued open life threats, categorically declaring that the secretary would not survive the day unless he conceded to his demands.

The report further stated that the special assistant remained in the office for more than 30 minutes, using “abusive and threatening language” before leaving. The entire episode revolved around the posting of a female district education officer in North Waziristan, whose transfer the special assistant wanted to cancel forcibly. Officials described the intrusion as “gross misconduct” and a direct threat to the safety and security of civil servants.

In solidarity with the secretary, associations of civil servants across the province have gone on strike, wearing black armbands and staging protest demonstrations in the civil secretariat. Representatives of various associations addressed the gathering, demanding strict action against Nek Muhammad and an end to political interference in official matters.

The protesting employees demanded denotification of the special assistant, his apology and formulation of protocols for the safety of government offices to avert political interference in official matters.

Tahir Orakzai, Secretary Livestock Department, told the protesters that public representatives must respect constitutional limits and allow bureaucrats to perform their duties without undue pressure. “Political interference has reached such an extent that it has become impossible for the bureaucracy to work in a free and conducive environment,” he said. Fed up with the suffocative environment, many officers were considering quitting their jobs due to excessive political pressure, he added.

Meanwhile, some private persons staged a counter-demonstration outside the Chief Secretary’s office. Despite this, the striking employees vowed to continue the protest until Nek Muhammad tenders an unconditional apology to the secretary and he was de-notified as provincial cabinet member.

The civil servants urged Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to direct ministers and other public representatives to refrain from direct interventions in administrative departments. “They should take up their problems with the chief minister or the minister(s) concerned instead of dealing directly with administrative officers,” the civil servants insisted.

Transfers and postings have long been the favourite domain of public representatives and the current crisis also is the outcome of the transfer of a lady teacher.