LAHORE: The Punjab government is consolidating certain powers in the office of the chief minister against the party’s vision of devolving powers.

In a letter issued here on Tuesday, the chief minister imposed a ban on all kinds of transfers and postings except those against vacant posts.

However, in case any posting/transfer was required on hardship, compassionate or extreme administrative grounds, prior approval would have to be sought from the chief minister through a summary.

All administrative and other departments concerned have been ordered to follow the directions regarding the ban on posting and transfer. However, the procedure for postings and transfers in the schools education department would continue.

On Dec 7, the government had imposed a ban on all recruitments from BPS-1 to BPS-16 in all administrative departments.

Official sources say while a ban had been placed on recruitment as well as transfer and postings, these powers had been consolidated in the chief minister’s office as he would be deciding and according approvals to the same.

Meanwhile, the cabinet’s standing committee on finance and development will take up the matter of relaxation of the ban on recruitment on case to case basis.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2018