VEHARI, April 6: Setting aside the problems facing the people in the district, the ruling PML public representatives and the big gun are allegedly using their energies on transfers of the government employees of different departments to achieve their ends.

The situation, it is learnt, has put Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi in a fix as the camps of District Nazim Syed Shahid Mehdi and former nazim Mumtaz Khichi are involved in a cold war.

The wrangling has affected the official functioning with the transfer of several officials, public circles say while explaining inconvenience they have to face.

Mr Mehdi and ex-nazim Mumtaz Khichi had been political allies for more than two decades but parted ways last year to contest against each other for the coveted district nazim office.

After winning election and assuming charge of the office, Mr Mehdi started trying to get his ‘favourites’ appointed in Vehari against key posts as replacement for the close allies of Mumtaz Khichi.

According to political analysts, Mr Mehdi during the election campaign openly cried out that the state machinery was being used against him and he even held the DCO and the DPO responsible for forcing the members of the electoral college to vote against him. After coming to power, he reportedly tried to get both the top officers of the district transferred.

At that time rumours were rife that Vehari’s ex-SSP Dr Jamil Ahmad would replace the DPO but the nazim’s hopes were shattered after which he reconciled with the officers and dropped the idea.

Moreover, Mailsi SDPO Ameer Taimoor also found himself in the bad books of the nazim-elect and his allies for being an ally of Khichi. His transfer orders were issued but rescinded the very next day. Nonetheless, MNA from Mailsi Azhar Ahmad Yousafzai got replaced Mailsi THQ hospital medical superintendent Muhammad Ashraf. He was replaced by Dr Muhammad Jalal.

After these episodes, the row between the Mehdi and Burewala DDO (revenue) Azfar Zia came to the public eye and the latter reported the matter to the Punjab additional chief secretary in Feb 2006, saying the nazim had insulted him. This was followed by a firing incident at the DDO’s residence and his alleged manhandling at his office by the nazim’s supporters.

The bureaucracy in the Punjab, however, disliked the incident and there were apprehensions that the government might take action against the district nazim. In the meantime, Azfar Zia committed a mistake by openly joining the political opponents of Mr Mehdi and addressing a joint press conference with them. This made a dent on his image in the eyes of bureaucracy. Subsequently, the nazim succeeded in getting Vehari DO (revenue) Ziaullah, Mailsi DDO (revenue) Imran Sikandar and Burewala DDO (revenue) Azfar Zia transferred — a move the Khichi had tried to stop through a meeting with the chief minister but without success.