LAHORE: The post of Lahore Development Authority director (admin) is being hotly contested by two officers - one grade 17 PMS officer and the other LDA’s grade 19 officer.

The director (admin) deals with several administrative affairs for the smooth functioning of the authority. The seat, most of time in the past, was filled by officers on deputation. Following the tradition, the LDA director general requisitioned services of an officer from the additional chief secretary for the post in September last.

The additional chief secretary ordered the posting of Shakeel Ahmad Bhatti (PMS/BS-17) who was then working as the section officer (establishment) at the Service and General Administration Department (S&GAD) in October.

Mr Bhatti assumed the office but on Nov 7, the LDA administration transferred and posted him director (C&I). Akbar Nakai (director of land Development-III / BS-19) replaced Mr Bhatti as director (admin).

Mr Bhatti challenged the move in the Punjab Services Tribunal (PST) that suspended the order and later the secretary (housing) accepted Mr Bhatti’s representation and set aside the Nov 7 orders by the LDA on Dec 20.

Mr Nakai challenged the PST and the secretary decision in the Lahore High Court (LHW). The court suspended the orders of December 20 and asked the LDA to furnish names and payscales of the officers posted in the authority on deputation from S&GAD along with their corresponding scales in their parent department. The respondent was told to also submit report about the officers posted in LDA against higher posts in their own pay scales.

According to official sources, Mr Bhatti plans to challenge the LHC order in the Supreme Court. LDA Additional Director General Rana Abdul Shakoor said they wanted the issue to be resolved by the court.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2019