NWFP govt’s move to bypass governor: Advocate-general resigns
By Ismail Khan
PESHAWAR, June 11: Amidst the ongoing tug-of-war between NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani and Governor Khalilur Rehman over the appointment of advocate-general, the provincial government has given final shape to the proposed amendments to the Rules of Business that would allow it to legislate without seeking the approval of the latter.
In another twist to the stand-off over the issue, Advocate-General Hamid Farooq tendered his resignation from the office barely a week after his appointment by the governor, credible sources said.
Mr Farooq, whose appointment sparked a row between the governor and the chief minister on the one hand and between the chief minister and the chief secretary on the other, submitted his resignation on Saturday.
Mr Farooq was not available for comments but the sources said that now the issue would soon be resolved amicably.
Meanwhile, a committee formed by the chief minister and headed by Law Minister Zafar Azam has given final shape to the proposed amendments to the Government of NWFP, Rules of Business, 1985.
“We are bringing the Rules of Business in conformity with the present-day needs,” Mr Azam said, adding that instead of sending any proposed legislation to the governor for approval, the government would now only send him its copy for information.
Also proposed are the amendments that would divest the governor of his consultative role in the appointment of special assistants and advisers to the chief minister. If approved, the amendments would allow the chief minister to make those appointments without consulting the governor.
Another proposed amendment seeks to make it mandatory for the governor to return a summary within 30 days following which, in the words of the law minister, the case would be deemed to have been approved.
However, the law minister acknowledged that the proposed amendments would take effect only after the approval of the governor. “No date has been set but these amendments will now be sent to the governor. The governor and the chief minister will decide the matter through mutual understanding,” Mr Azam said.
These amendments are not likely to be approved by the governor whose decision to appoint Mr Farooq, declining to accept the nominees of the chief minister, sparked the controversy. One of the nominees was a brother of Mr Azam.
Insiders said the CM secretariat had asked all secretaries to forward their files directly to the chief minister bypassing the chief secretary.
The chief minister is angry with the chief secretary for not routing the file for the appointment of the advocate-general to him and sending the case instead directly to the governor.
Officials said that the Services Department, in a reply to the directive, informed the chief minister that such a step would be a violation of the Rules of Business and that any attempt to deprive the chief secretary of his coordinating role would lead to chaos and serious mismanagement.
In yet another directive, the CM secretariat transferred Secretary Services Arbab Shehzad and gave Secretary Administration Ghulam Hussain the dual charge.
But, that directive remains unimplemented since any such notification would have to be signed by the chief secretary.
It is believed that the chief minister has been lobbying with Islamabad to seek the replacement of the chief secretary after his meeting with the chief secretary in Islamabad on Thursday failed to break the ice.
The chief minister told Dawn from Islamabad late Thursday that problems remained but said that he had already formed a committee to amend the Rules of Business.
