ISLAMABAD: Amid poor governance and subsequent increase in criticism, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has decided to overhaul civil service at federal and provincial levels.
Prime Minister Imran Khan is reportedly not happy with the bureaucracy, especially in Punjab, and has given approval to transfer over a hundred officers serving in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Centre.
The major reshuffling commenced on Tuesday with the removal of Punjab Chief Secretary Yousaf Naseem Khokhar and Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz Khan.
Capt (r) Azam Suleiman, the BS-22 Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officers, replaced Khokhar, while Shoaib Dastgeer became the new police chief of Punjab on Tuesday.
Khokhar, considered close to Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi, failed to bring reforms in Punjab bureaucratic set-up. Corruption increased manifold in each district of Punjab under his watch, claimed sources.
The new chief secretary is said to be a batch-mate of army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. PM Imran tasked him to streamline the matters pertaining to bureaucracy and overcoming the corrupt practices in the province.
Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners (DCs) of different cities would be changed in the coming days apart from reshuffling at secretary level, sources added. The government is also mulling the transfer of Islamabad DC Hamza Shafqat from his position.
In addition to this, the Establishment Division has also prepared the lists for a major overhaul in the federal bureaucracy.
Sources told Pakistan Today that Secretary Establishment Division Ijaz Munir would be replaced with Cabinet Division Additional Secretary, who was recently promoted to grade 22.
Similarly, Secretary to PM Azam Khan is likely to lose his job over his failure to control matters in Islamabad like Fawad Hassan Fawad –who’s in jail for alleged involvement in corrupt activities— did for then prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
