August 25, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 22, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 24: The Punjab government on Sunday revived the post of divisional commissioner and proposed amendments to different laws to make it an effective office of coordination and control.

According to observers, the new system to emerge would virtually overturn the devolution of power set-up introduced by former President Pervez Musharraf.

The announcement about revival of commissioner’s post was made after the move was approved by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, extending the reach of the provincial government to districts made autonomous units under the local government system.

The commissioner’s office was abolished along with that of the deputy commissioner at the time of the introduction of the local government system in 2001.

A senior official said the government would have to amend or abolish the Local Government Ordinance to restore the administrative system based on deputy commissioners. But since this could not be done without doing away with constitutional protection given to it by the former president, the provincial government had launched its own agenda of changing the system by re-introducing the commissioner’s office by just amending some laws, mainly the revenue act, he said.

The commissioners will basically perform a supervisory role, and would be assigned more powers after the amendment or repeal of the Local Government Ordinance.

A commissioner will head the division and supervise the performance of DCOs working under him.

He will exercise the powers of commissioner under the Land Revenue Act (to be amended accordingly) and coordinate between the province and districts through the DCOs for subjects pertaining to the former.

He will also act as an appellate forum against the administrative orders of DCOs in respect of functions of district administration, ensure proper implementation of policies framed by the provincial government and transfer and post all BS-17 officers of the provincial government within the region.

He will also ensure inter-district coordination, as regional ombudsman after notification by the provincial ombudsman, oversee and coordinate development activity undertaken by the districts.

He will also convene and chair Divisional Development Working Party with powers to approve projects up to Rs50 million. This was nevertheless subject to a notification by the P&D.