Punjab interim set-up: Chaudhry ‘refuses’ top administrative slot

Move made following PTI’s reservations against his appointment.

ISLAMABAD:

Newly nominated Punjab Chief Secretary Major (retd) Qamer Zaman Chaudhry has reportedly refused to accept the post on Saturday, following a complaint by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

The Election Commission had earlier directed the establishment division to replace the chief secretaries of Punjab and Sindh ahead of the elections. According to the ECP notification, Punjab Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa was to replace Sindh Chief Secretary Raja Mohammad Abbas. Chaudhry, meanwhile, was to take over the post of the Punjab chief secretary.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan, however, expressed reservations at Chaudhry’s appointment during his meeting with Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister Najam Sethi in Islamabad on Friday.

“(Chaudhry) has close ties with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and cannot, as such, be neutral during the elections,” Imran told reporters after the meeting. “I took up the issue with the chief minister and he assured me that neutral officers will be posted on key administrative positions,” he added.



According to certain reports, however, Chaudhry refused the office himself following PTI’s objections and asked relevant authorities to appoint a ‘more suitable’ officer as the chief secretary of Punjab.

Sources say that during his meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, Sethi suggested the appointment of people with ‘good reputations’ at key positions so that no controversy is raised against the electoral process. When contacted, ECP spokesperson Khusheed Alam said the commission had issued orders to the establishment division for the posting of chief secretaries and had not yet followed up the issue since senior officials were engaged in Balochistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2013.