PESHAWAR, July 13: The NWFP government has withdrawn amendments in the District Government Rules of Business-2003, which had caused a rift between the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government and Nazims of all the 24 districts in the province.

Under the new arrangements, the provincial government with the consultation of the district governments will make postings and transfers of officers in grade-17 and above in district.

The NWFP local government and rural development department notified the new orders on July 2 to this effect, official sources said.

According to the NWFP District Government Rules of Business, 2001, the provincial government was to post and transfer officers in grade-17 and above in consultation with Zila Nazim.

The MMA provincial government had, it may be recalled, unilaterally amended the local government ordinance and made postings and transfers in health and education departments, which triggered a controversy in the province. With the passage of time, source said, the provincial government had made over 800 postings and transfers in health and education departments in several districts.

After which the district Nazims demanded the restoration of the original spirit of the ordinance, but the government refused to restore the status and it led to the en masse resignation of all district Nazims.

Later, President Gen Pervez Musharraf intervened and directed the provincial government to restore the powers of the district Nazims.

Mr Danial Aziz, Chairman of the National Reconstructions Bureau, visited the provincial capital and held meetings with the angry Nazims and officials of the provincial government and got settled the issue in the light of objections raised by the government and the Nazims.

Later, lawmakers from opposition groups raised the issue in the House.

The House constituted a committee headed by deputy speaker of the provincial assembly to look into the matter.

The committee reversed most of the transfers made by the MMA government and provided relief to the affected officials.

According to new orders, postings of the district coordination officers, executive district officers and district police officers in districts have been left to the discretion of the provincial government.

The posting of employees below grade-16 will be made by the EDOs in consultation with the DCOs.

Sources said the provincial government had also authorised the DCOs to adjust surplus pool employees from grade-1 to grade-16 in a district.