April 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 23, 1429

KARACHI, April 29: An executive district officer posted by the Sindh government in the city government is not allowed to assume his office and told to wait till the return of City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, who is currently on a visit to the United States.

The provincial government posted Sajjad Abbasi as EDO for revenue from Dadu in place of Swaleh Farooqi, but he was not allowed to take up his new assignment without the prior approval of the city nazim.

Sources in the city government told Dawn that according to Section 30 (2) of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001, the provincial government could appoint officers and officials to the district offices, groups of offices or other offices in the district but as per practice they could assume their responsibilities only after the approval of the city nazim.

They said the then district coordination officer, Fazlur Rehman, had issued a notification on Dec 1, 2006 maintaining that as per the laid down procedure, all officers posted by the Sindh government in the city government were required to submit their joining report to the city nazim or the DCO. “After approval of the competent authority, ie the city nazim, these officers will take over the notified/assigned job in the relevant group of offices or subordinate departments,” says the notification.

Since then it has been a routine practice in the city government that any official, whether an EDO or a district officer, reports to the city nazim before assuming his duties instead of submitting his joining report to the departmental head.

On March 25, 2008 Mr Kamal issued an order in which he maintained that the assumption of charge by the officials posted by the provincial government in different groups of offices or subordinate departments of the city government without his prior approval was against the administrative procedure and office decorum. Referring to the Dec 2006 notification, the nazim directed all concerned to obtain his prior approval, “failing which disciplinary action will be taken against the officer at fault”.

The sources said the newly posted EDO of revenue had met DCO Javed Hanif to submit his joining report. However, keeping in view the strict directives of the city nazim, Mr Hanif asked him to meet acting city nazim Nasreen Jalil before assuming his responsibilities.

Ms Jalil, the sources said, instead of meeting him communicated to him indirectly to wait till the return of the city nazim and not to perform duties without his approval.

The sources recalled that recently the Sindh government posted Aijaz Baloch as district officer of revenue and he had reported to the city nazim, who had allowed him to join his new responsibilities.It is, however, widely believed that the denial of assumption of charge by newly posted officers would fuel the ongoing battle between the provincial and city governments over the administrative control of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and the Karachi Building Control Authority because the city government is not in a mood to accept the officers being posted by the Sindh government.

On April 26, the acting city nazim through a letter addressed to the newly-appointed chief of the KBCA, Manzoor Qadir, termed the provincial government’s notification illegal and directed him not to take charge of his assignment because the post of chief controller was re-designated as executive district officer. However, Mr Qadir assumed his office on April 28.