Superannuation: 15 top bureaucrats set to retire by year-end

Government likely to face the challenge of picking appropriate replacements.

ISLAMABAD: As many as 15 top bureaucrats holding key positions in the federal and provincial set-ups will be retiring by the end of this year, posing a challenge for the government to pick ‘appropriate’ candidates as replacements, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Some of them have been serving as ineffective Officers on Special Duties (OSDs) for years.

A fresh list prepared by the Establishment Division weeks ago says that Secretary Information Technology and Telecom Division Najeebullah Malik will be retiring on December 22.

Muhammad Ramzan Javaid of the Secretariat Group working in BPS 20 (police service of Pakistan), who was awaiting posting since July this year, will reach superannuation next week (December 12).

Ashraf Hayat, secretary planning and development division, will reach his superannuation on December 24 while Secretary Communication Division Sharif Ahmad will reach superannuation on December 31.

Due to the retirement of Muhammad Yasin on December 26, the post of joint secretary, tourism division will become vacant. The joint secretary for religious affairs division will be retiring on the last day of this year (December 31).

Meanwhile, the seat of joint secretary for special initiatives division will become vacant when Askari Mehdi Abdi retires on December 27.

Additional Secretary Establishment Division Qazi Afaq Hussain, who recently got promoted to BSP 22, will reach his superannuation on December 22.

The contract of a senior provincial police officer (Sindh), Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak, who was re-employed for a year with effect from December 17 last year, will be terminated on December 16.

Another senior provincial police officer (Punjab), Tariq Saleem, who was working in BSP 22, will also retire by the end of this year.

The important slot of special secretary to prime minister will also become vacant when Ghalibuddin will reach his superannuation on December 29.

Ashraf Hayat, who was working in planning and development division, will retire on December 24.

Sharif Ahmad of the communication division will retire on 31st December this year.

Secretary of the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat Tauqir Ahmad Faiq will reach his superannuation on January 1, 2011.

Four secretaries – Defence Division Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Athar Ali, Local Government and Rural Development Division Sheikh Ghazanfar Hussain, Youth Affairs Division Major (retd) Iqbal Ahmad and Zakat and Ushr Division retired this year as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 4^th, 2010.