By: Ahmed Khan
The frequent changes in the key bureaucratic positions particularly in the center and in Punjab is hurting the governance. It is a “musical chair” like a situation for the bureaucracy as the Punjab government do frequent changes on key positions that have made the concept of performance and accountability totally redundant. Let’s have a look at the changes which the Punjab and the federal government have made since coming into after July 2018 election.
The health sector after the COVID- 19 pandemic has become all-important, Dr. Allah Baksh3w was removed in March when Corona had just struck. He was replaced by Dr Syed Tauqir Shah (PAS) officer who had served as PS to ex-CM Shehbaz Sharif during the PMLN tenure and he successfully managed the epidemic in Punjab in 2011, he was removed just after one week. Dr. Tanveer who was replaced by Tauqir shah was also changed after some months and Amir Ashraf Khwaja has been posted the health secretary last month.
Chief secretary Punjab Azam Suleman who was posted last year amid the pronouncements of depoliticizing the administration was changed after 4 months. The officers who were sidelined by Azam Suleman has again staged a comeback once Azam was removed. Former commissioner DG Khan Tahir Khurshid, ex-secretary to CM Dr. Shoaib and SSP Amir Taimoor Uzdar (uncle of Cm Usman Buzdar) were removed by Azam Suleman but now all have come back with full force.
The most hilarious and blatant example of this bureaucratic musical chair is the position of Punjab secretary in HEC. 9 secretaries have been changes since September 2018.
The irrigation department is perhaps the worst hit as it has seen 11 secretaries since the arrival of Usman Buzdar
Rawalpindi division which is the most sensitive one has seen 4 commissioners since PTI came into power.
The food secretaries of Punjab have been changed five times and this was also the reason behind the wheat crisis.
The federal government has so far changed 5 IG police and four chief secretaries.
The board of investment also saw four chairmen since the PTI government came into power.
Last but not the least in DG Khan which is also the home town of Punjab CM Usman Buzdar has got six commissioners and five deputy commissioners so far.
The civil administration and the police postings in the province have become a joke.
The situation, on one hand, is hurting the governance and on other, it has seriously demoralized the civilian bureaucracy and no one is sure about his tenure. PTI in its manifesto had promised the civil service reforms and respect for the bureaucrats but the bureaucrats have become a rolling stone like never before.
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