ISLAMABAD: With ten days to go before the incumbent government completes its tenure, the Ministry for Inter-provincial Coordination (IPC) removed Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) director general Amir Ali Ahmed, a move which has raised several eyebrows.

Amir, Joint Secretary of IPC- a grade 20 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service, was given additional charge of PSB’s director general after the retirement of Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera.

Initially, he was given the reins of the PSB for 90 days and his tenure was to complete on May 29.

However, in a surprising move, the IPC ministry on Monday replaced him with a Joint Secretary Arif Ibrahim, a grade-21 officer, for the next three months.

Interestingly, he was given additional charge of lower post, as seat of DG PSB is reserved for grade-20 officer.

On Monday, there were rumours in the PSB that the DG was removed for resisting a move of allowing a private company to run Dolphin Centre within the PSB premises.

However, Azam Dar, a PSB spokesman, denied such rumours saying that the transfer of officer was a routine matter.

“I guess, he [outgoing DG] completed his 90-day period,” said the spokesman. Asked about the proposed Dolphin Centre, he said this issue has nothing to do with the removal of DG.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2018