Low-grade officers continue as DCs

PESHAWAR, Jan 14: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has opted to continue with low-grade officers as deputy commissioners in several districts, including Chitral, in clear violation of its own recent notified rules and decisions. The provincial cabinet had decided on Dec 12 that the redesignated office of deputy commissioner would be a BPS-19 post, allowing the provision of additional deputy commissioner in BPS-18 in each district. The cabinet’s decision stands violated as, according to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Establishment and Administration department’s notification dated Dec 27, in the case of 16 districts junior officers have been notified as deputy commissioners. The BPS-18 officers, who were performing as district coordination officers under the previous local government system, have been retained as deputy commissioners following the introduction of the new local government system that took effect on Jan 1. On Dec 27, the establishment and administration department had notified the integration of ‘the functions of erstwhile district coordination officer and district officer (revenue & estate) in the deputy commissioner office in all districts.’ The 16 districts where BPS-18 officers were notified to perform against the BPS-19 post of deputy commissioner include Battagram, Buner, Charsadda, Chitral, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Hangu, Haripur, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Malakand, Mardan, Nowshera, Shangla, Tank and Torghar. The officers notified as deputy commissioners in these districts have been directed to perform duties in their ‘own pay and scale,’ meaning thereby that they would work against posts one grade senior to their existing pay and scale. The junior officers performing against senior administrative posts include Mian Adil Iqbal, Mohammad Ayaz, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Rehmatullah Wazir (Chitral), Mohammad Ali Shah, Mahmood Aslam, Tahir Zafar, Mujeebur Rehman, Ali Anan Qamar, Nisar Ahmad, Amjad Ali Khan, Zakaullah Khattak, Ghulam Mohammad, Mohammad Ziaul Haq and Mohammad Abdul Aamer Khattak, according to the government notification.–Dawn]]>