Bypassing minister, 12 Punjab dist education officers shuffled

ISLAMABAD: In an unprecedented and shocking move, a dozen top district officers of Punjab’s Ministry of School Education have been transferred without the knowledge and consent of the Minister in Charge and the Secretary.

According to a notification No So (SE-I)1-11/2018 dated 4 December 2018, 12 district officers have been transferred to various districts, mostly in south Punjab with immediate effect.

According to sources, the move has shocked the Ministry. Normally in almost all cases such high profile transfers are made with the signatures and consent of the relevant ministers and Secretaries. The notification is signed by a Section Officer Shafqat Ali of the ministry.

When contacted by The News, Punjab provincial Minister for School Education Dr.Murad Raas confirmed that he is unaware of the transfer orders as they were issued without his approval or signatures.

“I will meet with the chief Minister Wednesday (today) and take up the issue,” the minister said. He hoped the issue will be resolved soon. Sources said the order is part of larger power play in Punjab where various politicians are trying to assert their control in the province through postings and transfers.

According to the notification, the transfers have been made in Bahawalpur, Layyah, Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Narowal and Sialkot districts. The District Education Authority (DEA) is top body that supervises all public schools in a district. Chief Education Officers (CEO) is incharge of DEA in any district and the senior most officer followed by the District Education Officers (DEO).

According to the notification, a copy of which is available with The News, the transferred officers include, Sharnshir Khan, Acting CEO, DEA, Bahawalpur, Shoukat Ali Tahir, Acting CEO, DEA, Layyah, Mukhtar Hussain Tahir, Acting CEO, DEA, Multan, Sanaullah Sohrani CEO, DEA, RY Khan, Younas Waraich, DEO (M-EE), Narowal, Wajid Hussain Acting CEO, DEA, Sialkot, Muhammad Aslam DEO (SE), Narowal, Fayyaz Ahmad Buzdar DEO (M-EE), Rajanpur, Ch. Babar Mukhtar Acting CEO, DEA, Muzaffargarh and Ihsan Ullah Gormani, DEO (SE), Rajanpur.