Hurdles being created to block reforms in KP irrigation deptt

PESHAWAR: The irrigation department in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has often been in need of reforms to improve its working, but whenever someone at the top tries to undertake the reform process the opponents with vested interest join hands to foil such an initiative.

Salim Khan, secretary irrigation, has been making efforts to improve service delivery at the department to facilitate the farmers and enhance crops production. He reportedly faced resistance when he tried to undertake reforms and follow merit. As an irrigation department official remarked, some people are averse to reforms and don’t want to be shifted from positions long held by them in the provincial capital, Peshawar.

Salim Khan isn’t someone known for seeking a prized position or sticking around on a job without accomplishing anything. He has served on important positions such as secretary, planning and development, and as the first civil servant to be appointed the registrar of the Peshawar High Court. Being a senior civil service officer, he soon concluded that irrigation department could do better if it was reformed and those resisting change were sidelined. As this wasn’t acceptable to certain officials in the irrigation department, plans are being devised to get Salim Khan transferred so that an officer of their choice is made the secretary.

As Chief Minister Mahmood Khan is also holding charge of the irrigation portfolio, one of the ideas mooted by this group of well-entrenched officers is to persuade the chief minister not to give up the irrigation portfolio. Mahmood Khan remained irrigation minister during the first term of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is known to irrigation department officers. In fact, Mahmood Khan has obtained the services of Imtiaz Khan, who served as his private secretary when he was irrigation minister, to become the private secretary to the chief minister.

It was learnt that Mahmood Khan will eventually give up the irrigation portfolio despite being urged by this group of officers having a vested interest. It isn’t known who will be made the irrigation minister, though there are many aspirants for the job. The provincial cabinet is gradually being expanded to accommodate more PTI lawmakers, especially from districts like Lower Dir and Nowshera that have gone unrepresented despite giving record number of votes and assembly seats to the party in the recent general election.

Some of the irrigation department officers have stayed put in key positions in Peshawar for years. One of them is Sahibzada Shabbir, who has been occupying key positions in the irrigation department for more than 10 years. Presently, he is holding two positions - superintending engineer, central circle (Peshawar) with a budget equal to three irrigation department circles, and director planning. Another officer, Asad Zaman, has been the executive engineer in Peshawar for more than two decades. Batoor Zaman was posted to head the newly created Charsadda circle, which was done to appease a previous irrigation minister belonging to the district in violation of British-era devaluation rules to obtain more funds for irrigation projects in Charsadda. The exchequer was burdened by splitting the circle and posting two chief engineers, two superintending engineers and two executive engineers to look after the same workload. The farmers suffered so much that they started protesting and approaching the irrigation department high-ups to reverse the decision.

Salim Khan had referred three inquiries concerning the irregularities in the irrigation department to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). There is a case of missing official vehicles, including a brand new car that was badly damaged in a road accident while illegally transporting PPP activists to Larkana to attend a party event some years ago. A PPP MPA from Mardan was killed in the accident. Some antique rifles owned by the irrigation department have also gone missing.

When contacted to get his version of the issue, Secretary Irrigation department Salim Khan said he had no idea that he was being posted out. “I have no choice if I am transferred. I will be comfortable serving anywhere. I am not a candidate for any good or bad position. However, I will continue to uphold merit and initiate reforms in the irrigation department or in any other department where I am posted,” he added.