Caretaker govt reshuffles bureaucracy but shuts eyes to district govts

PESHAWAR: The caretaker government through the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has reshuffled the bureaucracy in the entire country to ensure free, fair and transparent election, but has shut eyes to the politically-elected district governments that are freely executing development projects and spending huge funds to woo voters and manipulate forthcoming polls.

Almost all the political parties contesting election have their district, tehsil and union council nazims in the country.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has the loyalty of majority of district, tehsil and union council nazims.

Besides the provincial capital, PTI has its district nazims in Charsadda, Nowshera, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohat, Karak, Dera Ismail Khan and Tank.

After PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami has major control, having its district governments installed in Chitral, Upper Dir and Buner.

The Awami National Party (ANP) had its two district nazims in Mardan and Swabi. District Nazim Mardan Himayatullah Mayar resigned to contest assembly election and gave the charge to his partys coalition partner, Maulana Fazlur Rahman’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F).

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) set up district governments in Lakki Marwat and Malakand districts. The district governments in Bannu and Hangu are run by JUI-F.

Government officials believe that the district governments have enough funds to woo voters.

They complained that the caretaker government and ECP didn’t devise any strategy for the district governments to restrain them from affecting the election process.

“The caretaker government and ECP are clueless about the district governments. They have funds, government machinery and all the district government employees at their disposal for use in favour of their candidates in election. The district and tehsil nazims pose more threat than civil servants to the election process,” said a government official on condition of anonymity.

There are reports that the district governments are openly participating in election rallies and campaigns of candidates of their parties and announcing development schemes to win sympathies of the electorate.

Though it was stated to be mandatory for ensuring free, fair and transparent election, some of the officers recently transferred were known for their uprightness. Their transfer affected the smooth functioning of the government.

Former chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mohammad Azam Khan and Inspector General of Police Salahuddin Khan Mehsud were both known for impartiality and professional approach to issues and were thus acceptable to all the political parties.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has rarely appreciated government officials, but during his recent two visits to Peshawar he publicly praised Azam Khan, Salahuddin Mehsud and KP’s Secretary Health Mohammad Abid Majeed for their work.

Justice Saqib Nisar even remarked that had he been allowed he would have saluted Salahuddin Mehsud after he implemented the court order and called back the police escort from all the politicians within a night and submitted the report next morning in court of the chief justice.

Praising Azam Khan for his efficiency, the chief justice remarked that he had travelled all over Pakistan but had never seen an officer like Azam Khan.

“If we have two or three chief secretaries like Azam Khan, most of our problems can be solved. The chief secretary and health secretary are useful people and I hope they will further work hard to solve people’s problems,” the chief justice had stated.

However, he could not help KP in retaining Azam Khan and Salahuddin Mehsud.

“It is strange as the government has transferred several civil servants from one position to another and from one region to another, but if they are biased and keep political motives they can pursue those motives everywhere,” a senior government official opined.

When contacted, District Nazim Peshawar Mohammad Asim Khan, who is from the PTI, didn‘t agree with the notion regarding manipulation of election. He pointed out that the ECP has already banned recruitment and stopped them from spending funds.

He said there were little funds in their hands to influence voters. “The government had announced Rs680 million for annual development funds in Peshawar district. There are 10 days remaining in the financial year, but we were issued Rs300 million only. Now how can we influence the election process?” he posed a question.