Fighting corruption: Almost all revenue officers transferred

Complaint Management Software also set up.

ISLAMABAD:

In a massive reshuffle at grassroots-level, the Islamabad City Administration (ICT) on Tuesday transferred 38 revenue officers working in federal capital.

On the direction of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to “overcome corruption in the land revenue department”, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Amir Ali Ahmed issued transfer orders for the officials, who had been deputed in different parts of the city for many years.

Imtiaz Pervez Janjuah, a gardawar, was transferred to the local government department as Local Government assistant director and additional charge was given to Amjad Zahoor. His transferred came after 13 years on the post, in which he had become a powerful official and played a vital role in clearing land for a real estate tycoon, said an official familiar with the development.



“The common perception about the land revenue department is negative and this negative impression needs to be rectified,” said another ICT official.

The patwaris who were transferred to different union councils include Muhammad Zulfiqar to Rawat, Muhammad Abbas to Tarlai, Sarfraz Ahmed to Golra Shraif, Muhammad Sajjad to Tarlia, and Shahzad Abdur Razaq to Phulgran.

Beside the transfers, the administration has decided to tighten the leash on revenue officers by establishing a complaint cell called Complaint Management Software (CMS), whereby members of the public can complain about corruption in the land revenue department through SMS or telephone call. This system is directly linked with all assistant commissioners of the city and will be directly supervised by Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed. Implementation Assistant Commissioner Capt (retd) Waqas Rashid has been designated as the CMS in-charge at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office and will be tasked with addressing complaints.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Deputy Commissioner Ahmed — who suggested the transfers to the interior minister — said the basic objective of the transfers is to overcome corruption in the land revenue department, “which seems to be a hub of malpractices”.

He said that under the new system, all revenue officers will have to list government fees outside their offices and visitors will be encouraged to report any irregularity or complaints pertaining to revenue centres to the respective assistant commissioners, whose mobile numbers will also be displayed on notice boards outside the centres.

The assistant commissioners have been directed to inspect the revenue centres daily and submit reports to the district collector regarding staff attendance and service delivery.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 3^rd, 2013.