SIALKOT, Feb 5: District Coordination Officer Shafqat Ranjha has withdrawn the transfer orders of four deputy district education officers and 46 assistant education officers.

The DCO has taken the decision while taking serious notice of a news item published in an English daily about the prolonged stay of officials and other irregularities. The provincial education department, in the meantime, has ordered an inquiry and sought report from the district government.

Issued late Saturday night, the order read: “In pursuance of district nazim’s directions and intervention by Daska-based MPA Chaudhry Mumtaz Ali and Younisabad Union Council Nazim Chaudhry Abid Ali, the order regarding transfers and postings of the DDEOs and AEOs by the district education department are hereby withdrawn.

“The matter will be decided by the district nazim at his discretion.”

The Punjab Teachers Union had earlier raised its voice against the DDEOs and AEOs’ transfers and postings which were ordered a week ago, saying these were in violation of rules and effected on the interference of politicians.

The union said several AEOs, who had completed their four-year term, had been re-appointed on the intervention of some politicians. Many secondary school teachers, too, had been made AEOs and posted at stations of their choice in clear violation of the departmental rules.

Meanwhile, the Muttahida Mahaaz-i-Asatza Pakistan Information Secretary Abdul Rashid Nagra and PTU district office-bearers Syed Mehdi Shah, Muhammad Asghar Kahloon, Chaudhry Akhtar Qayyum, Ehsanullah Bajwa and Shahid Mahmood Butt have welcomed the withdrawal of the decision.

They urged District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema, DCO Shafqat Ranjha and EDO (Education) Dr Saifullah Cheema to appoint eligible and upright officials against these posts.