Post-polls quake in bureaucracy
ISLAMABAD – The blue-eyed boys of the outgoing regime holding key positions in the bureaucracy mostly on extensions and contracts were on the run ahead of the induction of newly elected government.
Dozens of top bureaucrats including ambassadors posted abroad were employed either on contract basis or were serving on post-retirement extensions. With their apex bosses either voted out or still surviving pressure in the Presidency, top bureaucrats were to avail first available options starting from resignation to take leave prior to retirement (LPR).
Anwar Mehmood Secretary Information, who was on contract, has resigned much ahead of the completion of his contract while Inspector General Punjab Ahmed Nasim has sought LPR.
First to achieve honourable replacement of his good old days’ posting as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Punjab was GM Sikandar who secured a rather better slot in the federal bureaucracy. According to an Establishment Division notification issued on Tuesday, Sikandar has been transferred and posted Federal Secretary Social Welfare and Special Education, sources said.
The sources also confirmed the removal of Khalid Saeed from the position of Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. However, they added, the notification in this regard was not issued till late Tuesday evening but was most likely to be issued Wednesday. The sources were of the view that Saeed, a close confidant of former prime minister Shaukat Aziz, after being removed as PSPM could be continuing with his additional assignment as Chairman National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).
According to the sources, the post-polls reshuffle in the bureaucracy had not gained such a loud momentum until the Senate passed a resolution against post-retirement extensions and holding of more than one top slot by any bureaucrat.
The secretaries on contract basis, inter alia, include Riaz Muhammad Khan (Foreign Affairs), Vakil Ahmed Khan (Religious Affairs), Dr Asad Elahi (Statistics Division), and Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Abdullah Yousaf, while Establishment Division Secretary Tariq Bukhari was on extension.
Followed by the overhauling of the federal top-level bureaucracy, the Foreign Affairs Ministry would also be undergoing massive reshuffle wherein a number of director generals and ambassadors were on contract basis, the sources said.
Our Staff Reporter from Lahhore adds: Former Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab G.M. Sikander, who was relieved by the Punjab govt of his duties the other day after he had availed 3-month leave to serve his previous boss Ch Pervaiz Elahi during the latter’s campaign of the elections, has been given the post of the Secretary Social Welfare and Special Education Division.
Within about two days when he was made Officer on Special Duty at the Federal Capital, G.M. Sikander was appointed as the Federal Secretary.
On the other hand, Secretary Prosecution Department Shegan Sharif Malik has been given additional charge of Principal Secretary to CM Punjab, while its previous incumbent Yusuf Naseem Khokhar has gone to Switzerland.
Khokhar held the post in place of G.M. Sikander, who chose to go on leave for three months after the last govt, completed its term on November 18 the last.
G.M. Sikander, who was considered to be a very close associate of Ch Pervaiz Elahi, remained with Pervaiz Elahi since November 18, and was said to be a working for him.
However, after the Pakistan Muslim League-Q lost the elections, the plan of keeping G.M. Sikander in the Punjab, could not bear fruit.
Source: The Nation
Date:2/27/2008
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