Punjab civil defence takes disciplinary action against 49 personnel

LAHORE: The Directorate of Civil Defence Punjab has launched a major internal accountability drive, dismissing 12 paid volunteers and suspending 37 officers and officials over allegations of corruption, inefficiency and misconduct.

The action was taken following directives issued by the Chief Secretary Punjab as part of the provincial government’s efforts to strengthen internal accountability across government departments.

According to two separate notifications issued on September 4, 2026, the disciplinary measures were implemented in accordance with decisions taken during an online Zoom meeting held on August 31, 2026, which focused on ensuring greater internal accountability by heads of government departments.

12 Paid Volunteers Dismissed

In one of the notifications, the Civil Defence Directorate directed the Deputy Commissioners of Sargodha, Khushab, Multan, Lodhran, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Bahawalpur and Narowal to immediately terminate the services of 12 paid volunteers allegedly found involved in malpractices.

Those dismissed include Farman Ullah of Sargodha, Naveed of Khushab, Muhammad Irshad and Nasir Iqbal of Multan, Asghar of Lodhran, Rehman Maqbool and Hamza Bilal Butt, Group Wardens of Gujranwala, Aman Ullah and Faizan of Hafizabad, Sharif, a driver from Narowal, and Bashir Ahmad and Shabbir Ahmad of Bahawalpur.

The department stated that the volunteers were removed from their positions over alleged corruption, inefficiency and misconduct committed during the performance of their official duties.

The concerned Deputy Commissioners have been directed to ensure implementation of the orders and submit compliance reports to the relevant authorities.

37 Officials Suspended for 90 Days

In a separate office order, the Director Civil Defence Punjab ordered the 90-day suspension of 37 officers and officials with immediate effect.

The services of the suspended personnel have also been withdrawn to the Civil Defence Directorate Headquarters in Lahore, where they have been instructed to report.

Formal proceedings under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act (PEEDA) have also been initiated against the officials.

The suspended personnel include a Civil Defence Officer, Shakeeb Ahmad of Rahim Yar Khan, as well as several Assistant BS-16 officers, including Sardar Ali of Vehari, Sana Ullah of Sialkot, Muhammad Kamran Shahid of Khushab and Shah Nawaz Asadi of Sahiwal.

Two Senior Clerks, Muhammad Altaf of Narowal and Muhammad Qasim of Gujranwala, have also been included in the disciplinary action.

Chief Instructors and Other Staff Affected

The list further includes nine Chief Instructors of BS-14, among them Asad Suleman of Toba Tek Singh, Muhammad Shakoor of Faisalabad, Muhammad Altaf of Okara, Ghulam Rabbani of Sahiwal, Aqeel Gul of Rahim Yar Khan, Kashif Masood of Vehari, Hafiz Muhammad Zakria Iqbal of Narowal, Muhammad Yousif of Mandi Bahauddin and Bilal Ihsan of Kasur.

In addition, 15 Instructors of Grade-II and Grade-III posted across several districts, including Mianwali, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Lahore, Vehari, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sialkot, Sahiwal, Rahim Yar Khan and Rawalpindi, have also been suspended.

Other employees facing action include Rescue Leader Muhammad Aslam, Rescuer Nasir Mehmood, First Aider Qamar Altaf, Driver Ashfaq Ahmed, Naib Qasid Muhammad Waris and Sanitary Worker Sohail Masih.

Seven Officers Transferred

Alongside the disciplinary action, the department has also ordered the transfer of seven officers on administrative grounds, particularly in cases involving prolonged postings.

Among the notable transfers, Syeda Sehrish Irshad has been moved from Muzaffargarh to Vehari, Muhammad Rehan from Vehari to Bahawalnagar, while Sidra Yaseen Rana has been transferred from the Civil Secretariat Lahore to serve as Chief Staff Officer at the Directorate.

The latest action reflects the Punjab government’s broader campaign to improve discipline and strengthen accountability within provincial departments. Officials have indicated that stricter scrutiny of government employees is likely to continue under the Chief Secretary’s directives.