Two top officials claim: Reshuffle in govt depts done in compliance with ECP’s directives

ISLAMABAD: With the appointees of former federal government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) still occupying key administrative and law enforcement positions at the centre and in Punjab— amidst apparent lack of action by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) — two top officials of the federal bureaucracy have claimed that the reshuffle in government departments is done in compliance with the commission’s directives.

In a briefing given to the ECP earlier on Monday, Secretary Establishment Inamullah Khan Dharejo and Secretary Interior Aftab Akbar Durrani stated that the officers concerned of federal bureaucracy, including those assigned to provinces, belonging to occupational groups, were reshuffled as per the ECP’s directives.

The commission directed the two secretaries to furnish a compliance report in three days.

Recently, the ECP directed the caretaker federal government to repatriate those officers of grade 17 to 22, who belonged to occupational groups and were assigned to provinces for more than three years—on the pretext of ensuring the conduct of free and fair general elections in the country.

Allegedly, however, the ECP directives pave the way for the retention of those civil servants, at their present positions, who were appointed by the former PDM federal government this year and last year—since the three-year term rule does not apply to them.

Incumbent Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Dr Usman Anwar and Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman were appointed by the former federal government with Shehbaz Sharif as Prime Minister.

The incumbent secretary establishment, who briefed the ECP in Monday’s meeting, regarding transfers and postings of officers, was also appointed by the former federal government.

In the federal capital, senior police officials, including IGP Dr Akbar Nasir Khan and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari, were appointed by the former federal government.

As per customary practice on its part, the electoral body orders reshuffling the civil servants and other government functionaries occupying key slots in the federal and provincial departments once caretaker set-up is in place ahead of the general elections.

This time, however, several senior officials appointed by the former government are yet to be reshuffled.

When contacted, a senior ECP official claimed that the senior officials of occupational groups including those of Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) in Punjab would be reshuffled in the coming days.

The officials in Sindh including IGP and chief secretary, appointed by the former government, were reshuffled with ECP’s approval, the official stated.

Officers on several key positions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were reshuffled on the ECP’s directives and similar reshuffles are in the pipeline in Punjab, Balochistan and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the official claimed.

Meanwhile, the ECP on Tuesday decided to approach the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for making arrangements to invite international observers to monitor the general elections. This decision was taken in an ECP meeting.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023