Instead of probing the transfers made on Farah Khan’s (Gogi) insistence as alleged by many, the present PML-N government has posted a good number of the same officers on key positions in Punjab.
Sources said that on the direction of Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, massive transfers of officers was made on Saturday. Deputy commissioners of about two dozen districts and other officers were transferred, a majority of them faced charges of using the ‘Gogi channel’ and were posted DCs in other districts. Earlier, commissioners of six divisions of Punjab were transferred.
Moreover, junior officers of grade 18 were also posted as DCs. In some cases, instead of transferring former PTI government’s officers, they were directed to continue in their offices. A senior officer posted in the Civil Secretariat, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the government should have removed and penalized those who had used Farah Khan to get prized postings against money.
Moreover, the link between Farah Khan, former chief minister Usman Buzdar and the then chief secretaries and others concerned should also have been established.
The government should have pointed out the names of officers who had got lucrative positions by greasing the palms of those at the helm of affairs in the outgoing PTI’s government. Otherwise, many believe that it was a blame game, he said. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz leader Attaullah Tarar had alleged that Gogi’s known assets increased during the PTI government’s tenure from Rs210 million to 850 million. She was also accused of minting money through transfers and postings of officers, including those of ACs and DCs with the help of the then chief minister Usman Buzdar.
The PML-N government had retreated to bring back Farah in the money laundering and assets beyond means cases in the courts of law. Tarar had also alleged that Farah Khan bought property abroad using the money she minted from Punjab. The government functionaries had asked Farah Khan to come back to the country and provide the trail of Rs320 million. They also allege that Gogi had close links to former first woman Bushra Bibi.
The National Accountability Bureau has also initiated proceedings against Farah Khan. Sources have further claimed that a massive reshuffle of assistant commissioners is also under consideration. The ACs posted during the PTI’s government (including those posted by Usman Buzdar through Farah Khan’s channel) will be reshuffled. The political bosses have directed Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Abdul Khan Sumbal to massively transfer ACs. The ACs have started making efforts to get important tehsils of the province.
Also, those officers who were sidelined during the PTI government have been ignored for important positions in the current political regime. Meanwhile, the Punjab government has transferred Special Secretary Home Department Zahoor Hussain and posted Fazal ur Rahman in his place. The federal government has relieved the provincial service officers who were inducted in Pakistan Administrative Service. Officers including Imran Raza Raja Mansoor, Shahid Zaman Lake and Tariq Qureshi will be posted in Punjab in a day.
