LAHORE, Nov 11: The PPP’s demand of nearly 40 per cent share in the posts of divisional commissioners in Punjab is stated to be one of the major reasons behind delay in appointment of officers against the posts.

“There are nine posts of divisional commissioners and as we understand the PPP is demanding posting of officers of its choice on at least four seats,” sources told Dawn on Tuesday.

The government had created the posts of the divisional commissioners last month and short-listed 13 officers for them on Sunday last. But the delay in appointment of commissioners had been surprising for those who are aware of the provincial government’s passion for them.

Sources agreed to the government claims that it was arranging for the legal powers, staff, residences, offices, equipment and budget for the commissioners and they would be appointed after the completion of the process in near future. But, they added, the demand by the PPP was a major hurdle for the time being.

Officials being named for the posts were selected by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif (the PML-N). And their list was made by the top men in the provincial bureaucracy purely on merit.

The PPP was not consulted or taken into confidence during the entire process, making it demand appointment of its selected officials as commissioners of Multan, Sahiwal, Okara and Faisalabad divisions, they claimed.

They said the PPP was more serious in having its own selected official as Multan commissioner because it was the hometown of the prime minister. Multan DCO Fazeel Asghar was appointed on the demand of the PPP which wanted him to serve as the Multan commissioner now, the sources said.

They said the other divisions where the PPP wanted its selected officials were Sahiwal, Bahawalpur and Faisalabad. Sahiwal division covers federal minister Mian Manzoor Wattoo’s home district Okara and Faisalabad is the city of Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz.

Meanwhile, sources tipped the appointment of Tourism Secretary Khusro Pervaiz Khan (a former home secretary) as the Lahore division commissioner because of his best performance as Rawalpindi RCO, and acting secretary forest.

“He has delivered the best and that’s why he has already been made Lahore Ring Road project director. This indicates his likely selection for the Lahore division,” they said.

The sources also believed that Mr Saifullah Chattha, who has recently reported to the provincial government, was likely to be appointed as Rawalpindi commissioner.

Bahawalpur DCO Mian Mushtaq was tipped as the likely Bahawalpur divisional commissioner and Muhammad Ali Gardezi and Zahid Saeed as Sargodha and Gujranwala divisional commissioners.