LAHORE: Finally, the Punjab Police lost two important slots at the chief minister’s office as Chief Secretary Zahid Akthar Zaman has appointed two BS-19 officers belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) there.

As per a a notification issued by the chief secretary here on Wednesday, former Deputy Commissioner of Lahore Umar Sher has been posted as additional secretary law & order at the CM office.

Sources say Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had desired the appointment of a female police officer, preferably Lahore Investigation SSP Dr Anoosh Masood Chaudhry, on the post, keeping in view her performance with regard to the cases related to May 9 riots and conveyed the same to the IGP.

However, given a lack of interest by Punjab Police department in the posting, the chief secretary reportedly posted a PAS officer as additional secretary law and order, an official told Dawn.

The posts were earlier occupied by Punjab Police

Earlier, a BS-18 police officer, Usman Tipu, was occupying the post of additional secretary law & order as SSP (law & order).

Similarly, he said, another BS-19 PAS officer Mohammad Nouman Siddique was transferred and posted as personal staff officer (PSO) to the chief minister, the second important position the police department lost in the CM office.The official said a separate notification issued by the Services & General Administration Department on Wednesday upgraded the post of PSO to CM from BS-18 to BS-19 to “facilitate the PAS officer”.

“In partial modification of Para 14 of this department’s earlier notification issued on March 8, 2024, Mohammad Nouman Siddique (PAS/BS-19), has been transferred, with immediate effect, and posted as Personal Staff Officer to Chief Minister Punjab against an existing vacancy,” reads the notification.

It adds that the post of PSO to CM shall remain upgraded to BS-19 as long as it is held by Mr Siddiqui.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2024