FAISALABAD, June 25: The City Nazim on Wednesday relieved Chief Officer Chaudhry Shaukat Ali Raan from the TMA, with effect from July 1, 2003, and directed him to report to the Punjab Local Government Board.

In his order, the Nazim said that the BS-19 post of the chief officer of the defunct Faisalabad Municipal Corporation was no more required by the Faisalabad TMA. Hence, the officer may be adjusted by the government against some appropriate assignment in the provincial government.

Challenging the authority of the City Nazim, the CO termed the order unlawful. He said his office was an inseparable component of the TMA under the local government laws.

According to him, the competent authority in his case is the Secretary, Local Government and Rural Development. If the Nazim is not inclined to retain any officer, he may move the authority for his transfer. He said Tehsil Nazims under rule-34 of the Punjab TMAs Rules of Business, 2002, have been debarred from transferring of COs and TOs.

It may be noted here that City Nazim has already expressed his reservations about the working of Tehsil Municipal Officer, Dr Pervez Abbas, (a DMG Officer) and complained to the Punjab Government that TMO was indulging in unnecessarily correspondence with various provincial departments without getting his prior approval. The City Nazim also claimed that the TMO had no right to make any comment in any manner without his knowledge. This issue is still under consideration of the provincial authorities concerned.

Earlier, Mr Mujahid Shamsi, Resident Assistant Director, Local Government Fund Audit of the TMA, was got transferred by the Nazim after he (the officer) detected serious violations of rules and regulations in running the financial affairs of the TMA.

Likewise, the City Nazim also managed to get cancelled the posting orders of Nazeeruddin Khan, a grade-18 officer, as TMO (Finance) and manoeuvred the same seat for Mujeebuz Zaman Shamsi, who is a grade-17 officer.