Reshuffle in country’s bureaucracy

ISLAMABAD: The federal government, with the active consultations of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and provincial caretaker chief ministers, has changed all the four provincial chief secretaries and inspectors general of police to ensure free and fair elections in the country next month.

Islamabad Chief Commissioner Aftab Akbar Durrani and Inspector General of Police Islamabad Dr Sultan Azam Temuri have been transferred following the policy of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday. According to the Establishment Division sources, Mr Jodat Ayyaz and Jan Muhammad took charges of Chief Commissioner and IGP Islamabad respectively. Notifications have been issued in this regard.

The federal cabinet formally approved the changes and subsequently the notifications were issued accordingly. The newly-designated officers have begun assuming their charge since they have been asked to report to their respective duties forthwith. With this, major demand of certain political parties for changing the administration in the provinces has been met.

Prime Minister Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet at Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Wednesday. It has been officially stated that in order to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the country, the Federal Cabinet, in consultation with the ECP and the respective provincial governments, has approved posting of the following officers as chief secretaries and IGPs.

Following have been appointed chief secretaries: Punjab -- Akbar Hussain Durrani, Sindh -- Azam Suleman Khan, KP -- Naveed Kamran Baloch, Balochistan -- Akhtar Nazeer, Inspectors General of Police: Punjab -- Dr Kaleem Imam, Sindh -- Amjad Javed Saleemi, KP -- Muhammad Tahir, Balochistan -- Mohsin Hasan Butt.

The prime minister earlier met chief ministers of the four provinces at the PMO. Punjab Chief Minister Hasan Askari Rizvi, Sindh Chief Minister Fazalur Rehman, KP Chief Minister Justice (retd) Dost Mohammad Khan and Balochsitan Chief Minister Alauddin Mari attended the meeting. Caretaker Federal Minister for Interior Muhammad Azam Khan was also present during the meeting.

They expressed the resolve to hold general elections in a free, fair and transparent manner. The matters relating to general elections 2018 came under discussion during the meeting, which also took stock of the law and order situation prevailing in the provinces and maintained that law and order would be ensured at all costs during thewhole process since it would be essential for keeping the ambiance conducive for the polls.

The meeting reiterated that the caretaker set-ups at the federal and provincial levels are firmly committed under their mandate to take all possible steps towards holding free, fair and transparent elections.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk was briefed on Wednesday about the working of Ministry of Religious Affairs with special focus on the Haj Operations 2018. The briefing held at the PMO was attended by Minister for Religious Affairs M Yousaf Shaikh, Secretary to Prime Minister Suhail Aamir, Secretary Religious Affairs Khalid Masood Chaudhry, Secretary Evacuee Trust Property Board Muhammad Tariq and senior officials.