PESHAWAR, Oct 18: The NWFP government on Thursday removed Peshawar City Development and Municipal Department (CDMD) Director-General Sareer Mohammad and replaced him with Jan Ali Khan.

A notification was issued by Chief Secretary Sahibzada Riaz Noor, ending over a year-long controversy.

The former DG was considered close to the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and despite an order issued by the Provincial Urban Development Board (PUDB) last year the MMA government had been delaying his removal.

The notification stated that the Project Director of Kohat Development Authority (under transfer as director-general of the Galiyat Development Authority), Jan Ali Khan, had been transferred and posted as the director-general of the CDMD.

Sareer Mohammad was directed to report to the local government and rural development department.

Meanwhile, the Peshawar High Court disposed of a writ petition filed by Mr Khan regarding his appointment. A bench comprising Justice Ijaz Afzal Khan and Justice Saleem Khan was informed that the provincial government had issued the required notification.

The bench observed that after the issuance of the notification the petition had become infractuous.

During previous hearings, the court had directed the provincial government to issue the notification of appointment of the petitioner as the CDMD director-general.

The chairman of the Provincial Urban Development Board had ordered promotion of the petitioner and his appointment as director-general of the CDMD with immediate effect on Feb 23, 2006.

However, the notification was not implemented and Sareer Mohammd, a grade 19 official, continued to hold the grade

20 post.