RDA sees another premature shuffle at top hierarchy

Rawalpindi's civic agency gets 9th director-general in three years

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) continues to witness premature transfer and posting of officers at the top hierarchy.

A total of eight director-generals of the RDA have been shuffled in the last over three years before completing their tenure, which has badly affected the day-to-day affairs of the civic agency besides taking a toll on long-term projects.

On Thursday, Saif Anwar Jappa assumed office as the 9th director-general of the RDA in the last three years and 12 days.

The RDA is a government authority responsible for providing municipal and town services in Rawalpindi city. It also approves private housing societies in the Rawalpindi district.

Currently, the illegal sale and purchase of property is going on unabated and illegal private housing societies have popped up more than four times over the years.

The RDA director-generals, who were transferred prematurely during the three years were Nadeem Ahmed Abro, who was removed after six months of service in the RDA. Ammara Khan, who was the first woman DG of the civic agency, was removed after one year; Chaudhry Maqbool Ahmed Dhawla was transferred after serving for two months and two days.

Similarly, the late Abdul Sattar Essani was removed from the post after three months of service in the civic agency; Nadeem Ahmed Abro was removed only after five months and four days. Gulzar Hussain Shah was removed after serving three months and one day in the RDA; Noorul Amin Mengal was removed after being posted for only 24 days; Tahir Zafar Abbasi was transferred on August 18 after he served in the civic agency only for five months and 18 days. Abbasi handed over the charge to new DG Saif Anwar Jappa, who was earlier working as additional commissioner coordination.

Earlier, Jappa served as director-general PHA, Deputy Commissioner Dera Ghazi Khan and Deputy Commissioner Jehlum.

Sources claimed that the new RDA chief has made it clear to officers in the first meeting that he will not compromise on good governance, transparency, merit and discipline.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government issued transfer orders of Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation Chief Officer Amjad Hussain after he served for seven-and-a-half-month. Amjad Hussain handed over the charge to the new chief officer.

As per the Local Government Act, Punjab, a gazetted officer should be deployed at a station for a two years term, however, the provincial government violated the act and issued the transfer and posting order of the RMC chief officer.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2022.