GUJRAT: The Punjab government posted Ahmed Kamal Maan as the first commissioner of newly-created Gujrat division on Friday.

The posting of the regional police officer (RPO) of the new division is expected in the next few days.

Mr Maan, a BPS-19 officer of the Provincial Secretariat Service (PSS) of Provincial Management Service (PMS), had been at the disposal of the chief minister’s office for quite some time. He has previously served as deputy commissioner (DC) of Pakpattan and Jhang districts. He is expected to assume the charge on Saturday.

Though the Punjab government had approved 832 vacancies for Gujrat division, the recruitment against these posts is yet to be made.

Official sources say initially the commissioner may work from the building of district council chairman’s office and the staff will be provided by the district administration that was already understaffed. They added that some of the staff may also be sought from the Gujranwala commissioner’s office.

Meanwhile, the senior member Board of Revenue (SMBR) has sought identification of a piece of land for the establishment of divisional headquarters complex at Gujrat through a letter written to the DC.

The cabinet’s standing committee on finance has approved Rs8.8 billion for the first phase of the complex. The funds have been placed at the disposal of Infrastructure Development Authority Punjab (IDAP).

The sources say the local administration has already identified a piece of state land measuring 73 acres near Machiana village of Kunjah for the establishment of divisional headquarters complex, whereas some 25 acres additional land may also be acquired in the same area.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2022