10 April 2005	Sunday	30 Safar 1426

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PESHAWAR, April 9: Confusion persists in the Fata Secretariat following reshuffle in the top administrative echelon, with the governor finding it difficult fill the top positions.

Insiders said it all began after Governor Khalil ur Rehman had decided to bring in his own team to run the Fata Secretariat.

Sahibzada Saeed, who prior to the recent changes was holding the dual charge of secretary to the governor as well as secretary (development) Fata, was relieved of his charge to make way for Brig Asad Munir (Rtd), a close confidant of Governor Khalil.

Mr Munir, who before his latest posting was a member (administration) of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and had earlier served as commander Military Intelligence and Inter Services Intelligence in Peshawar before his retirement, had been transferred and posted as secretary to the governor by the Establishment Division Islamabad. He had resigned from the CDA to take up his new assignment in the province.

However, soon problems surfaced over the arrangement, according to some sources, when the governor impressed upon Sahibzada to stay on.

To deal with the new situation, the NWFP governor is believed to have held at least two rounds of meetings with Chief Secretary Ejaz Qureshi to find an amicable solution.

After two days of intense discussions and consultations, the NWFP establishment department issued another notification on Thursday evening.

According to this notification, Asad Munir was made principal secretary to the governor

while Sahibzada Saeed was made special secretary to the governor.

Interestingly enough, the notification showed Sahibzada as the secretary to the governor whereas he had already relinquished and handed over the charge to Asad Munir.

To add to the confusion, Brig Mehmood Shah (Rtd), also a former Military Intelligence officer, who had served in Balochistan prior to seeking retirement and was serving as secretary (security) Fata, was also directed to report to the establishment department.

The office of the principal secretary as well as the special secretary, do not find their mention in the Rules of Business. They are both non-sanctioned posts and are irregular as far as the service rules are concerned much as the Fata Secretariat is operating in a legal vacuum.

Neither of the two new appointees have taken up their new assignments amid confusion and reluctance and Fata Secretariat is without its administrative heads.

Officials said that with intense lobbying and vying by people in influential circles, the governor has not been able to take a firm decision.