RAWALPINDI, Oct 23: More transfers and reshuffles are expected in the Military Lands and Cantonments Department as 11 new officers are to be inducted within the next few days after completion of their one-month training, sources told Dawn.

The 11 new officers belong to two different occupational groups of the central superior services, and they will be appointed to the ML&C department on deputation. According to sources, six of these officers are from the Audit and Accounts group, whereas the remaining five belong to the Income Tax group.

The step has been taken to mitigate the severe shortage of staff in the ML&C Group, they said.

The sources said all kinds of promotions and move-over of the civilian officers had been stopped.

Likewise, for the last three years, no new induction has been made, leaving the ML&C department totally dormant and its officers frustrated and demoralized, they added.

There is an urgent need to revive the ML&C group and restore induction of new officers, an official said.

It is pertinent to mention here that at present, there are about 25 key posts lying vacant in the group. These include five posts of grade 20, eight posts of grade 19 and 12 posts of BPS- 18. There is only one grade-21 slot in this group, which has been occupied by a serving major-general.