Sialkot Local Govt posts reshuffled, grades changed

The Punjab Local Government & Community Development Department has made a significant administrative reshuffle in Sialkot, transferring the chief

LAHORE: The Punjab Local Government & Community Development Department has made a significant administrative reshuffle in Sialkot, transferring the chief officers of the District Council and Municipal Corporation while simultaneously upgrading one post and downgrading the other on a reciprocal basis.

According to an official notification obtained by Minute Mirror, bearing No. LCS (ADMN)-1(233)/93-P and dated August 28, 2026, Muhammad Zubair Wattoo, a BS-19 officer serving as Chief Officer of Municipal Corporation Sialkot, has been transferred and posted as Chief Officer of District Council Sialkot with immediate effect.

In a reciprocal move, Ashfaq Ahmed, a BS-18 officer serving as Chief Officer of District Council Sialkot, has been transferred and posted as Chief Officer of Municipal Corporation Sialkot.

The notification, issued under the authority of Secretary LG&CD and Chairman Punjab Local Government Board Ahmir Sohail Kaifi, states that the District Council Sialkot’s Chief Officer post, previously in BS-18, has been upgraded to BS-19. At the same time, the Chief Officer post of Municipal Corporation Sialkot, previously classified as BS-19, has been downgraded to BS-18.

The department has specified that the changes will remain applicable on a reciprocal basis for the tenure of the posted incumbents. This effectively means that the revised grades are linked to the current postings rather than constituting a permanent restructuring of the sanctioned posts.

The unusual adjustment has generated discussion within local government circles, particularly over the decision to downgrade the Municipal Corporation post while upgrading the District Council position. Officials familiar with local government administration have questioned the administrative rationale for reversing the grades of the two posts.

The notification cites administrative grounds for the transfers but does not provide a detailed explanation for the simultaneous upgradation and downgrading. The temporary nature of the grade adjustment has also prompted questions regarding how the posts will be treated once the current officers are transferred or replaced.

The order has been forwarded to the Commissioner Gujranwala Division, Deputy Commissioner Sialkot, administrators of the Municipal Corporation and District Council Sialkot, and other concerned authorities for implementation.

While the department has formally issued the order, no separate explanation has so far been provided regarding the rationale behind the reciprocal change in the grades of the two key local government posts.