ECP orders to replace chief secretaries, police heads of all provinces

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday directed Establishment Division (ED) to replace the Chief Secretaries (CS) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) of all provinces.

The ED, in turn, asked the caretaker governments of four provinces to give the names of CSs and IGs. According to the procedure, once the ED would receive the names, the Human Resource division will send this to ECP for approval. An officer from the ED told Pakistan Today that the division will issue the notification after the consent of ECP.

The officer further stated that according to the precedent, the CSs and IGs are transferred to their posts once the caretaker set-up assumes the charge.

Presently, Zahid Saeed is serving as Chief Secretary Punjab, Rizwan Memon as Chief Secretary Sindh, Azam Khan Chief Secretary KP and Aurangzeb Haque Chief Secretary Balochistan.

Whereas Captain (r) Arif Nawaz Khan is serving as IG Punjab, AD Khawaja as IG Sindh, Salah-ud-Din Khan Mehsud IG KP and Moazzam Jan Ansari as IG Balochistan.

Sources told that ED will issue the notifications of new chief secretaries and IGs on June 13 but the chances of appointing neutral officers on these posts seem to be very few.

There is widespread perception that the outgoing government of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) had not appointed any officer to any seat whenever the already loyal-to-PML-N high ups had advised against any such appointment.

Secretary to Prime Minister Suhail Amir, Secretary to Cabinet Abu Akif, Interior secretary, Commerce Secretary Younis Dagha, Establishment Division Secretary Maroof Afzal, Industry and Production Secretary  Asad Ahauddin, Prime Minister’s Office Additional Secretary Dr Kazim Naiz, Federal Bureau of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Tariq Bajwa, Auditor General of Pakistan Javaid Jehangir, State Bank of Pakistan Governor Tariq Bajwa are considered close aides of PMLN government.

ECP POSTPONES MEETING ON SECURITY DURING ELECTIONS:

Since the appointment of CSs and IGPs had not been done yet, the ECP deferred the important meeting on security matters and rescheduled it for June 14.

It is expected that the newly transferred CSs and IGPs of all four provinces are likely to take part in the high-level meeting on security.

Earlier, caretaker Prime Minister Justice (r) Nasirul Mulk said the interim government is firmly committed to provide all possible assistance to the electoral body for holding free, fair and peaceful elections as per schedule.

He was talking to the Chief Election Commissioner Muhammad Raza who called on him in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Matters pertaining to the forthcoming general elections came under discussion during the meeting.