PESHAWAR: A bureaucrat has formally complained to the chief secretary about his transfer within less than six weeks of posting claiming it is a violation of the government’s transfer and posting policy.

In a representation to the chief secretary, Farhatullah Marwat, a BPS-19 officer of the Provincial Management Service, called for the withdrawal of his ‘premature’ transfer as the additional secretary at the relief, rehabilitation and settlement department.

He was posted to the department in Oct 14 and was transferred on Nov 24 and posted as the additional secretary of the mines and mineral department.

When contacted, secretary of the relief department Amir Latif said he hadn’t seen the contents of the representation and therefore, he couldn’t say anything about it.

Mr Marwat noted in the representation that the additional secretary at the relief department was second-in-command to the secretary.

He said the department administered the affairs of Rescue 1122, Provincial Disaster Management Authority and Civil Defence, so he was instrumental in disaster-related activities and recruitment in Rescue 1122.

Claims transfer against govt policy

The official said he was prematurely transferred after a lapse of one month without assigning any reason in a violation of the government’s posting and transfer policy.

“If mid-level or senior officers are shuffled in such an irrational manner, it may crumble the provincial administrative edifice,” he said.

Mr Marwat said he being an integral part of the affairs of Rescue 1122, including recruitment was attempting to streamline the processes in line with the law, so he thought that certain quarters were not pleased with that and manoeuvred his transfer.

“Any political or outside interference for the sake of vested interests will harm the governance and we, the civil servants, duty bound to uphold the law,” he said.

The bureaucrat asked the chief secretary to withdraw his premature transfer, hold an inquiry into the matter, which caused embarrassment for the government, and preempt any such situation for all civil servants.

He noted that the role of civil servants shouldn’t be compromised as enshrined in the Constitution to ensure public interest and good governance.

Sources familiar with the matter told Dawn that the official had raised questions about appointments, procurements and other affairs of the organisations controlled by the department by writing observations on the relevant documents, which ruffled feathers in the political dispensation.

He claimed that two officials of the department were transferred in the same manner lately.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Civil Service Officers Association also claims that there is resentment among the PMS officers over the ‘haphazard and controversial’ transfer.

Coordinator of the association Fahd Ikaram Qazi told Dawn that the association had been approached by its members to agitate the matter but it looked to the chief secretary for a response to the representation.

He said the matter was purely an administrative matter, which should be settled by the establishment department.

“Political interference and transfers based on nepotism or punishment has become a norm and has a chilling effect on governance. If the government does not implement its own policies and violates the law, our association may use other means for the purpose,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2020