RAWALPINDI: Former commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha was a hardworking officer and had a composed personality, senior officials of the Punjab government told Dawn.

They said the former commissioner had good relations with all political leaders, including former interior minister Rana Sanaullah Khan.

Originally from Hafizabad, Mr Chattha started his career in civil service as an executive magistrate in 1992. During most of his career, the former commissioner remained posted in Faisalabad and served on a number of positions, including that of executive district officer finance from 1992-2012.

During the tenure of former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif, he served as deputy secretary at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. He also remained the deputy commissioner in Gujrat and Sargodha.

Mr Chattha also served as secretary Labour and Housing, Urban Development and Public Health and member Punjab Revenue of Board.

Later, he was appointed as commissioner of Dera Ghazi Khan and then transferred to Rawalpindi in the same position.

He provided facilities at gymkhanas and general bus stands of Gujrat, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rawalpindi.

During his days in Rawalpindi, he re-started a number of projects including Ring Road, Daducha Dam, Chahan Dam, Pirwadhai Bus Stand, Safe City.

Senior officers at the commissioner’s office said Mr Chattha did not show any “signs of depression during the last one week and had attended his routine work in office”.

On Friday, he presided over a meeting along with PML-N MNA-elect Hanif Abbasi held to solve the sanitation and water shortage issues in Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2024