Anti-encroachment drive and illegal petrol pumps: Another bureaucrat falls prey to the powerful?

ISLAMABAD: Another bureaucrat falls prey to the powerful people for not toeing their line. This time Gujranwala Deputy Commissioner Shoaib Tariq Warraich has been made OSD.

“Mr Muhammad Shoib Tariq Wariach (PMS, ex-PCS) BS-20) Deputy Commissioner of Gujranwala is hereby transferred, with immediate effect and directed to report to Services and General Administration Department, Government of the Punjab, for further orders,” says a notification issued on November 14.

Talking to Geo News reporter Rana Ansar, local MPA Shaheen Raza has pointed fingers at the husband of a friend of the family of a powerful and popular person in the government as main reason behind the marching orders of the DC. The Gujranwala DC was successfully conducting anti-encroachment drive until the operation reached the petrol station of the husband, said the MPA. While applauding the performance of the officer, Shaheen said she has taken up the matter with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

Shaheen’s allegations gain credence as the district administration demolished four out of five illegal petrol stations on GT Road leaving only one petrol station which is owned by the husband's family.

Interestingly, district administration had sought verification of land record of all five petrol stations to determine the veracity of ownership claims. In response, Punjab government declared four petrol stations illegal, but remained tight-lipped on the fifth one which is owned by that family.

Sources said the administration demolished four stations immediately after receiving response of Punjab government and once again wrote to Chief Minister Secretariat about the orders on fifth petrol station.

When asked again about the legal status of the petrol stations in question, the DC received matching orders. In addition to petrol pump, the husband and wife own a housing society in the city which has also been declared illegal by the Gujranwala Development Authority (GDA).

Punjab Information Minister Fayazul Hasan Chohan said the Gujranwala DC’s removal has nothing to do with that person. He said there were two reasons for the officer’s removal. Firstly, Chohan said the DC’s performance during the recent protest by Tehreek-e-Labbaik (TLP) remained poor. Secondly, the minister said the Lahore High Court (LHC) has directed the government for his removal as the court expressed displeasure over DC’s performance in anti-encroachment drive. However the minister’s claim was outrightly rejected by those present in the court while a district administration official told The News that the LHC’s written order does not contain any instruction to remove DC.

Also Gujranwala remained the calm cities during TLP protests as there was no major clashes reported in the city in violent protests. The administration official claimed that Gujranwala district was also hailed as one of the most successful districts in anti-encroachment operations across Punjab.

However it is pertinent to note that despite receiving transfer orders last week, the Gujranwala DC is still holding the charge of his office .Sources said the Deputy Commissioner refused to leave charge of his office when he got an abrupt transfer notice. He was then asked to continue on verbal orders of the chief secretary.