- Top level bureaucrats, especially those in CM Secretariat, are getting transferred elsewhere to escape interim govt’s neutrality radar
All officials holding crucial bureaucratic positions have started removing themselves from the limelight to avoid coming under the interim government’s radar, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Traditionally, the bureaucracy implements the policies formulated by the legislature and on the command of the chief executive who is the political head of the province. This procedure helps to improve the relationship between the administration and the politicians.
“There is a very close connection between bureaucracy and the political heads at the top and more often than not, the bureaucracy takes orders from the politicians which includes controversial steps also,” a senior official asking not to be named said, adding “The opposition looks at these bureaucrats with suspicion and the interim set up is asked to ensure neutrality so these officials are the first to go.”
The first in line to go is the chief secretary, followed by the principal secretary to the CM, important officials in the CM Secretariat, secretary services, while the commissioners and DCOs are also changed from important slots to maintain the neutrality of elections.
For starters, the federal government has issued orders for Secretary Implementation Fawad Hassan Fawad who has been posted as attaché in Qandahar, Afghanistan, but he did not join. His training is also due in the National Management Course (NMC). Another officer Sajid Zafar Dal, PSO to CM, has been posted as finance additional secretary, but he also has not joined the post like Sohail Tipu from the CM Secretariat, who has been posted as Lahore ADC.
Moreover, certain other bureaucratic re-shuffles have also taken place including the transfers of Bahawalpur Commissioner Muhammad Khan Khichi, Faisalabad Commissioner Tahir Hussain and DG Khan commissioner.
Sources privy to the development further revealed that Services DS Silwat Saeed is also expected to be transferred from a position she has been holding for quite some while. Others including important secretaries and the chief secretary will also go before the interim set up. “The reason many transferred officers are not joining their posts is because they have got their notifications and secured positions and they will join these posts once the interim set up comes,” sources said, adding that the interim set up will send the officials currently enjoying lucrative positions to sidelines. The entire exercise is to avoid that ‘victimisation’, they added.
“Interim government targets those bureaucrats who have been taking direct orders from the politicians and these bureaucrats remove themselves from the scene by getting transferred to a completely neutral department or location to save themselves from interim government’s scrutiny,” another official said.
Services Secretary Mubashar Raza was not available for comments.
