LAHORE: The housing department has withdrawn a letter earlier issued against posting a former chief engineer of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) till finalisation of an inquiry and criminal cases against him.

According to a letter dated May 10, the department had restricted the LDA administration from posting a former chief engineer.

“The LDA, through a letter on Jan 9, had approached this department requesting that opinion may be solicited from law department as to whether Mr Israr Saeed (director engineering) can be posted against some post after release from the custody of National Accountability Bureau and his post-arrest bail. Accordingly, advice from regulations wing of the S&GAD and law department were also solicited and were forwarded to the LDA,” reads the letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn.

It also states that the department suggested a panel of three officers for initiating departmental proceedings against Mr Saeed. “In light of the above, it is clarified that Mr Saeed may not be posted against any post till finalisation of inquiry and criminal cases against him,” it explains.

On May 10, authority was asked not to post ex-chief engineer till closure of NAB case

But the department, through another letter it wrote to the LDA on June 18, withdrew its earlier letter, stating that Mr Saeed had submitted a representation with a request that the advice contained in the May 10 letter be recalled and the authority directed to issue his posting orders. “The matter has been examined and it is observed that the LDA director general is competent for appointment/posting/transfer and other departmental proceedings of Mr Saeed. Therefore, this department’s letter of May 10 may be treated as withdrawn,” it adds.

Talking to Dawn, former chief engineer Mr Saeed said he had submitted a representation to the housing department, explaining his point of view over his suspension and the issues related to the inquiries against him. “Therefore, after hearing me out, the department found my stance logical and withdrew its letter. But I have yet to get a posting,” he added.

The department’s secretary, Nasim Sadiq, said his predecessor had issued the letter, adding that he had only assumed charge the same day the letter was issued. “I joined the department on June 18 and the department issued the letter the same day,” he said.

The former housing secretary and presently posted in the food department, Dr Zafar Nasrullah, was not available for comment. However, an official in the establishment section of the housing department confirmed issuance of the withdrawal letter on June 18. “It was done during the tenure of the former secretary,” the official told Dawn.

“Withdrawal of such letters paves the way for the accused officials to get posting in their respective departments. This must be avoided as it sets wrong precedents enabling others to get postings before finalisation of inquiries on various issues,” an official source said.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2019