RAWALPINDI, April 10: A major shake-up in the local administration is imminent in the wake of the Punjab government’s decision to terminate all those officers who were appointment to different posts following their stints in civil and military departments.

Officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Dawn on Thursday that district coordination officers (DCOs) in the province had been directed to report all such cases to the Punjab government.

They said majority of the officers were working in civic agencies, district administrations and other autonomous bodies like development authorities.

In Rawalpindi, the officers who would be affected by the new orders include Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) director general Brig (retired) Saeed Baig, Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) managing director Lt-Col (retired) Islamul Haq, Social Security Hospital (SSH) chief Brig (retired) Noorul Hassan and three magistrates.

Sources said majority of such officers were working in big cities including Lahore, Gujranwala, Multan, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.

Expressing no resentment, the would-be affected officers in Rawalpindi told Dawn that the decision would have been taken in the larger interest of the institutions.

Meanwhile, a major reshuffle in the city district government is on cards, Dawn learnt on Thursday.

Sources told this reporter from Lahore that the Punjab government had already shortlisted and interviewed the persons who would be replacing the incumbent officers in Rawalpindi.

District Coordination Office (DCO) Irfan Elahi, District Police Officer (DPO) Saud Aziz, Executive District Officer (Education) Chaudhry Yousaf and EDO Health Dr Zafar

Iqbal Gondal are among the officers likely to be reshuffled.

The Punjab government has already transferred district coordination offices in Multan and Lahore, therefore, Rawalpindi would be the third big district that will get a new officer, with majority of the officials tipping EDO Revenue Jamal Mustafa as the next DCO.

However, sources in the Punjab government told this reporter that Mr Mustafa, who belonged to Sindh province, would not be elevated to the top post of the district administration.

When contacted, DCO Irfan Elahi confirmed that the reshuffle would take place within a week, saying that he spent “a very memorable period” in Rawalpindi during his entire career.