MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 25: The transfer and posting of a grade-19 officer of the federal government against a grade-20 post in Azad Jammu and Kashmir has brewed unrest and a sense of insecurity among the local officers, one of whom has got the move stalled by obtaining interim relief from the AJK High Court, Dawn has learnt.

Early this month, the Establishment Division had “placed the services of Mr Waseem Mukhtar Chaudhry, a BPS-19 officer of the district management group, at the disposal of the AJK government for posting as secretary of the planning and development department on deputation basis”.

The Establishment Division’s notification was endorsed by the Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas (KANA) Division on Aug 15, a copy of which was also sent to the AJK chief secretary.

However, the move disconcerted AJK government officers as the “unprecedented and unceremonious” notification overlooked the fact that the grade-20 post of the secretary P&D belonged to the AJK service and was already being occupied by a BPS-20 local officer.

The AJK officers were of the view that the Establishment Division notification infringed upon their rights and had created a sense of insecurity and unrest among them.