ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: In a fresh pre-election reshuffle in the bureaucracy, the Establishment Division here on Wednesday promoted and/or transferred seven senior officers, including the NWFP chief secretary and an additional secretary in the prime minister secretariat.

NWFP Chief Secretary Sahibzada Riaz Noor, who was serving in the Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 21 was promoted to BPS-22. He is expected to be given charge of an important office in the NWFP, a province marred by creeping Talibinsation and extremism and a lack of people’s confidence in the policies of the central government, sources said.

Mr Noor is expected to improve liaison between the central government and the province during the coming elections.

Qaisar Shahzad Qaiser, an additional secretary (BPS-21) in the prime minister secretariat, was promoted to BPS-22 and was handed over the charge of secretary tourism in place of Shahid Rafi.

Mr Rafi was transferred to the Ministry of Culture where the post of the secretary has been laying vacant since the start of this month when Saleem Gul Sheikh retired.

Sources said Mr Rafi is expected to counter serious challenges in filling the vacuum created by what is called forced transfer of Secretary Jalil Abbas who had served for two years and taken important moves to project the soft image of Pakistan abroad and the policy of “enlightened moderation”.

Mr Rafi is also expected to revive the process of linking the country through cultural pacts with the United States and some European countries.

Member Income Tax Salman Nabi was promoted to BPS-22 and handed over the assignment of the chairman of the National Tariff Commission.

Secretary Ports and Shipping Naheed Haider was replaced by Mr Fazlurehman, while Ms Naheed was transferred to the Overseas Pakistanis Division in the same capacity.

Additional Secretary Finance Ahmed Jawad was promoted to BPS-22 and given the important assignment of secretary privatisation. However, Mr Jawad would take over the new charge at a time when there would be no big privatisation activity during the transition from the present government to the next.

Member Federal Land Commissioner Mohammad Sharif was promoted to BPS-22 and assigned as secretary population welfare.Zafar Mehmood (BPS-21), acting secretary of the textile ministry, was promoted to BPS-22 and made a full-fledged secretary.

Hifz-ur-Rehman (BPS-21) was promoted to BPS-22 and given the post of secretary information technology.