MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday elevated two BS-20 officers as secretaries amongst some key transfers in the civil secretariat and police department.

According to an official notification, Rashid Hanif, a Grade-20 officer from the secretariat group currently serving as Special Secretary of Health, was transferred to the post of Secretary for Sports, Youth, and Culture. Chaudhry Abdul Rehman, also a Grade-20 officer and the currently Director General of Civil Defence, was posted as Secretary for Tourism and Archaeology, filling a vacant position that had been temporarily overseen by Additional Chief Secretary Midhat Shahzad.

In other key transfers, Shahid Ayub, Secretary for Physical Planning and Housing (PPH), was transferred and posted as Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development. Ms. Tehzeebun Nisa, previously Secretary for Sports, Youth, and Culture, was reassigned as Secretary for Disaster Management and Civil Defence, replacing Chaudhry Majeed Ahmed, who was transferred to the post of Secretary PPH.

The police department also saw significant changes, with Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Headquarters Yasin Qureshi and DIG Muzaffarabad Region Irfan Masood Kashfi exchanging positions. In another move, DIG Special Branch and Security Jamil Ahmed Mir was attached to the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

While these appointments come at a time of fiscal tightening across the country, the number of secretaries in AJK - 27 at the moment - remains notably high, exceeding the region’s actual administrative needs.

In certain cases, even the departments with limited staff, such as the Information Technology department, which employs fewer than 200 people, are also being allocated their own secretaries—raising concerns about the financial implications of this practice.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2024