Row over Rescue-1122 appointment persists

Additional CS asks DG to let DEO facing notice serve on his post

LAHORE: A power struggle in the Punjab Emergency Service (PES), commonly known as Rescue 1122, over the appointment of the Lahore district emergency officer (DEO) is lingering on despite the province witnessing the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The controversy threatens to mar the performance of the rescue service at a time when the provincial capital has faced the largest number of emergencies.

Despite the importance of the station, a conflict over the posting of Dr Ahmad Raza as Lahore DEO has been going on for over two years. As pet details available with The Express Tribune, Rescue 1122 Director General (DG) Dr Rizwan Naseer has repeatedly ignored the orders of the higher authority, Punjab Home Department Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Momin Agha, in this regard.

It was also pointed out during an investigation that forged documents were submitted by the Rescue 1122 Human Resource Department against Dr Raza. Rather than being put aside during the virus crisis, the row has taken a new turn.

On June 3, the DG issued a show-cause notice for the removal of the DEO on charges of remaining absent from duty during the pandemic at the Expo Triage Quarantine Centre and failure to demonstrate good performance.  The DG asked the DEO to appear for personal hearing on June 15.

A day after the show-cause notice, the home department issued a fresh order to the DG to let Dr Raza serve as the Lahore DEO. The ACS declared the earlier orders of the DG as invalid.

“Now, therefore, I, Momin Agha, Additional Chief Secretary (Home), the appellate authority, accept the representation of petitioner Dr Ahmad Raza, uphold the orders dated 13-9-2018 and allow him to continue as DEO Lahore,” the fresh order stated

“Moreover, the order of ‘removal from service’ dated 25-1-2020, issued by Rescue 1122 DG, is set aside and all charges are declared as void ab initio. The DG is further directed to implement orders dated 13-9-2018 in letter and spirit. Moreover, the matter regarding forged and fake PERs is being forwarded to the S&GAD ACS to hold an inquiry in order to fix the responsibility against delinquents for forgery and deceiving the administrative department intentionally by submitting fake and illegal PERs.”

During the proceedings before the home department ACS, Dr Raza had stated that the performance evaluation reports (PERs) submitted by the Rescue 1122 HR deputy director were fake, on which they were sent to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) that declared them forged.

He had also pointed out that during 2014 and 2015, his reporting officer was Administration Director Dr Arshad Zia, but the PERs were submitted by HR Deputy Director Dr Foad Shahzad. He said the DG had signed the reports as countersigning authority, although he was not the DG during the period.

The appellate authority had also ordered the DG to appoint Dr Raza as the Lahore DEO on September 8, 2018.

An officer of Rescue 1122 said the rift had started after Dr Naseer returned as DG in 2018 and key issues like service structure and emergency initiatives were being neglected because of the situation.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2020.