GUJRAT: The Punjab government on Wednesday transferred Gujranwala Commissioner Zahid Akhtar Zaman and posted him as irrigation secretary.

In a notification issued by the Services and General Administration Department, the post of the irrigation secretary was upgraded to BPS-21 from BPS-20 as personal to Mr Zaman and for as long as he held the post.

Muhammad Aamir Jan, currently serving as the population welfare secretary in BPS-20, was relieved of the additional charge of irrigation secretary.

The Punjab government was yet to notify a replacement for Mr Zaman, while the acting charge of the post was given to Gujranwala Deputy Commissioner Sohail Ashraf. Sources said that the provincial government might appoint an officer of BPS 21 as the commissioner in a few days.

Mr Zaman who attended an official meeting with the chief minister in Lahore on Wednesday, will relinquish the charge of the commissioner on Thursday (today).

The Punjab government has of late been implementing a policy of posting BPS-21 officers as commissioners across Punjab, delegating more powers to the office, particularly regarding transfers/postings.

This is the fourth time in the last 18 months and third in four months that Gujranwala’s commissioner has been transferred.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2020