Pakistan

Last-minute move: ‘Misunderstanding’ caused CDA chief’s transfer

Notification withdrawn, establishment secretary to present summaries of 22 other transfers on next hearing.

Mudassir Raja March 20, 2013

The bench observed that the case can not be disposed off as the matter of some 22 transfers made on the last day of the government had come under discussion in the court. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

ISLAMABAD:

Red-faced bureaucrats had to withdraw the orders on last-minute transfers, including removal of the capital city’s civic agency boss. It was a “genuine misunderstanding” that led to the transfer of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman, Prime Minister’s principal secretary explained to the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The court was hearing the suo motu case on the postings and transfers ordered by Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on the last day of his government.

“The notification on the transfer of the CDA chairman and posting of Tariq Mahmood Pirzada as the head of the civic agency had been cancelled,” Establishment Secretary Taimur Azmat Osman informed the three-judge SC bench, headed by Jawwad S. Khawaja with Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan as its members.

Reading from the contents of the report submitted by Muhammad Ayub Qazi, the PM’s principal secretary, Justice Khawaja observed that according to the secretary, the competent authority had nullified its earlier decision and Tahir Shahbaz would remain CDA chairman.

After learning the notification had been cancelled, Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Dil Muhammad Alizai asked the bench to dispose of the suo motu case.

However, the bench observed that the case could not be disposed of as the matter of some 22 transfers made on the last day of the government had come under discussion in the court.

“The notifications of the transfers and postings of 17 officials had been held in abeyance as five others have already joined their new offices,” the Establishment secretary maintained.

Osman said the five transfer orders were not in violation of the SC judgment in the Anita Turab case.

In its judgment last November, the SC elaborated that no transfer should be made till the official has spent at least four months on a post and the transferring authorities must provide written reasons for the transfer.

The court adjourned the hearing till March 27 and directed Osman to submit the summaries initiated for the last day transfers and postings and the notifications before the bench.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2013.