LAHORE: The top management of the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) is allegedly involved in flouting the chain of command and prerogative of the parent department by making transfers and postings of the officers internally.

The affected officers have also lodged a protest against such a decision, demanding that the MCL administrator and the local government department secretary take notice and penalise the officers involved in such practices, Dawn has learnt.

“In October last year, the local government and community development department transferred 33 officers and officials (grade 14, 17 and 18) and posted them to various town administrations, municipal and metropolitan corporations etc. But the MCL’s Director (Inquiries & Administration) by the orders of the administrator internally transferred them on Jan 12 from the offices and posted them to other departments,” an official source told Dawn on Sunday.

“It is absolutely wrong and breach of command as once the department posts anyone anywhere, it should have been asked to accord permission for making such internal posting,” he added. “But it was not done which disturbed the official works performed by the officers,” the source said.

According to a letter of Oct 22 last, the LG board transferred 33 officers -- 18 of grade-17, one of grade-18 and 14 of grade-14 -- from the defunct local governments and posted them to the succeeding local governments. But, the MCL, through an internal order, transferred some of the 33 officers and posted them at the new offices without getting prior permission of the department. The officers included Ms Fareeha Amin (BS-17) from Zonal Officer, Planning, Samanabad Town to Assistant Zonal Officer (Planning), MCL, Quratulain (BS-17) from Assistant Metropolitan Officer-Planning MCL to Zonal Officer (Planning), Samanabad Town, Ansar Inayat (BS-17) from Zonal Officer (Planning) Wagah Town to Assistant Metropolitan Officer (Planning) Data Ganj Bakhsh Town and Asim Shad (BS-17) from AMO (Planning) Data Ganj Bakhsh Town to Zonal Officer (Planning), Wagah Zone.

“The officers being transferred and posted unlawfully are planning to stage a protest against the MCL orders,” the official disclosed, adding that the MCL could only do so once the department transfers and leaves the officers at the disposal of administrator.

The MCL’s director (inquiries and administration) dispelled the impression and said the authority’s order was correct. “Such issues were once raised with the secretary (local government) and it was decided that internal transfers / postings of the officers in such cases can be made by the chief corporation / metropolitan officers and the administrators,” he claimed.

The local government secretary was not available for comment.

TRAINS DELAYED: Several trains’ arrival and departure from the Lahore Railway Station was delayed from two to seven hours due to fog.

According to a press release issued by the Pakistan Railways (Lahore), the trains which faced delays included Rehman Baba Express, Pakistan Express, Karachi Express, Awam Express, Pak Business Express, Jafar Express, Karakoram Express, Shah Hussain Express, Tezgam, Millat Express, Khyber Mail, Allama Iqbal Express, Sir Syed Express and Green Line.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2022