21:11
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ISLAMABAD: The courageous woman officer who was removed and made an OSD in violation of Supreme Court orders was once again given a new posting, in an unusual decision taken in a hurry on Saturday, but Maryam Khan has refused to take up her new post.
This development took place after The News broke the story on Saturday as evidence became available that the interior ministry and three top federal secretaries had played their role in the latest transfer of Islamabad’s additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Maryam Khan in violation of the Supreme Court’s recent order.
Panicked by The News report, the top bosses of the Interior Ministry called some of its officials from home on Saturday, which is a weekly holiday, to issue a notification for the posting of Maryam Khan as director administration in Islamabad.
However, to their bad luck, the officer has conveyed to her seniors in the Islamabad administration that she is unwilling to bow to the “illegal” and “contemptuous” orders of her arbitrary removal from the post of ADC(G) in violation of the apex court’s recent order.
While the young lady officer seems to be preparing to fight for the rule of law, the interior ministry’s Nov 29 order seeking the removal of the officer reflects that these controversial changes were made on the orders of the interior ministry.
A copy of the ministry’s order No 2/40/2008-ICT-I signed by section officer (ICT-I) Iftikhar Rashid Rana, which became the basis for the controversial transfer of Maryam Khan, is in possession of this correspondent. It says that Captain (retd) Farid-ud-Din Mustafa a BS-18 (Acting Charge) officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, awaiting posting, be posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) in ICT Administration.
2. Further, Ms Maryam Khan, presently posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), be posted as Assistant Commissioner Islamabad.
3. It is requested that compliance report may please be furnished to this Ministry by return fax today positively.
The above letter of the Interior Ministry sought the officer’s transfer and demotion without assigning any reason. While the interior ministry’s involvement in the matter is reflected by its official letter, the secretary interior, being administrative head of the ministry, endorsed the ministry’s direction for implementation. The copy of this controversial letter was also sent to the interior secretary for information.
Two other influential federal secretaries, including principal secretary to the prime minister and secretary establishment, who are also the two top bureaucratic aides of the premier, gave a verbal nod to the Islamabad chief commissioner to notify the controversial replacement of Maryam.
According to the sources, the Islamabad chief commissioner, though at first refused to post Maryam as assistant commissioner that was a one grade lower job for the BS-18 officer, transferred the lady officer, whose appointment as the ADC was notified by the Establishment Division.
These sources said that before doing so, the chief commissioner talked to the establishment secretary and then sought the views of the principal secretary to the prime minister through PM Secretariat Additional Secretary Hasan Nawaz Tarar. Both the secretaries conveyed him that he could transfer the lady officer without getting the Establishment Division involved.
The chief commissioner though did the same, it raised serious questions about the legality of his orders as Maryam was appointed the ADC by the Establishment Division and not by the Interior Ministry or the chief commissioner.
On Friday, while showing complete disrespect to the Supreme Court’s directions and warnings, issued to protect the tenure of civil servants, the federal government had removed the additional deputy commissioner just one month after her posting. Not only that, she was made OSD without assigning any reasons in writing.
Maryam Khan was removed to vacate her post for her two-year junior officer Capt (retd) Fariduddin Mustafa. Because of Friday being the half day, the lady could not leave the charge of her office of ADC(G) but Farid gave his joining the same day while referring to the orders of the Interior Ministry.
On Saturday the concerned Interior Ministry officers issued few transfer orders. According to these orders, Maryam Khan, who on Friday, was posted as OSD has been given the post of director administration replacing Muhammad Ali.
Muhammad Ali has been transferred and posted as director development, the position that was held by Rana Akbar Hayat. Hayat is now without any post.
Interior ministry sources said that the Islamabad administration was asked to get the issue settled by requesting Maryam Khan to accept her unceremonious removal in violation of the apex court’s orders and join her new post as director administration. Maryam refused to accept her new posting.
Meanwhile, it is also learnt that some people are considering taking the matter to the Supreme Court to get the order reversed to prevent such like arbitrary posting/transfers just a few months before the next elections. “If this order is not reversed, floodgate of politicised postings and transfers would open.
Interior Ministry statement: Meanwhile the Ministry of Interior clarified on Saturday that Maryam Khan was not notified as assistant commissioner. However, she has been posted as director administration against the post of BPS-19 in Islamabad Administration which controls the entire Administration of Islamabad.
A press release said: “Interior Ministry keeps the rights of women and there is no such discrimination with women in Islamabad Administration. Moreover, there are 25 posts in grade 17 and above in Islamabad Administration in which 7 DMG women officers are working.
“The policy of internal transfers in Islamabad Administration is the prerogative of the government as per the assessment and ability of the officers. The new officer is posted in routine. Hence there is no favour to any officer in this regard.”
This development took place after The News broke the story on Saturday as evidence became available that the interior ministry and three top federal secretaries had played their role in the latest transfer of Islamabad’s additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Maryam Khan in violation of the Supreme Court’s recent order.
Panicked by The News report, the top bosses of the Interior Ministry called some of its officials from home on Saturday, which is a weekly holiday, to issue a notification for the posting of Maryam Khan as director administration in Islamabad.
However, to their bad luck, the officer has conveyed to her seniors in the Islamabad administration that she is unwilling to bow to the “illegal” and “contemptuous” orders of her arbitrary removal from the post of ADC(G) in violation of the apex court’s recent order.
While the young lady officer seems to be preparing to fight for the rule of law, the interior ministry’s Nov 29 order seeking the removal of the officer reflects that these controversial changes were made on the orders of the interior ministry.
A copy of the ministry’s order No 2/40/2008-ICT-I signed by section officer (ICT-I) Iftikhar Rashid Rana, which became the basis for the controversial transfer of Maryam Khan, is in possession of this correspondent. It says that Captain (retd) Farid-ud-Din Mustafa a BS-18 (Acting Charge) officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, awaiting posting, be posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) in ICT Administration.
2. Further, Ms Maryam Khan, presently posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), be posted as Assistant Commissioner Islamabad.
3. It is requested that compliance report may please be furnished to this Ministry by return fax today positively.
The above letter of the Interior Ministry sought the officer’s transfer and demotion without assigning any reason. While the interior ministry’s involvement in the matter is reflected by its official letter, the secretary interior, being administrative head of the ministry, endorsed the ministry’s direction for implementation. The copy of this controversial letter was also sent to the interior secretary for information.
Two other influential federal secretaries, including principal secretary to the prime minister and secretary establishment, who are also the two top bureaucratic aides of the premier, gave a verbal nod to the Islamabad chief commissioner to notify the controversial replacement of Maryam.
According to the sources, the Islamabad chief commissioner, though at first refused to post Maryam as assistant commissioner that was a one grade lower job for the BS-18 officer, transferred the lady officer, whose appointment as the ADC was notified by the Establishment Division.
These sources said that before doing so, the chief commissioner talked to the establishment secretary and then sought the views of the principal secretary to the prime minister through PM Secretariat Additional Secretary Hasan Nawaz Tarar. Both the secretaries conveyed him that he could transfer the lady officer without getting the Establishment Division involved.
The chief commissioner though did the same, it raised serious questions about the legality of his orders as Maryam was appointed the ADC by the Establishment Division and not by the Interior Ministry or the chief commissioner.
On Friday, while showing complete disrespect to the Supreme Court’s directions and warnings, issued to protect the tenure of civil servants, the federal government had removed the additional deputy commissioner just one month after her posting. Not only that, she was made OSD without assigning any reasons in writing.
Maryam Khan was removed to vacate her post for her two-year junior officer Capt (retd) Fariduddin Mustafa. Because of Friday being the half day, the lady could not leave the charge of her office of ADC(G) but Farid gave his joining the same day while referring to the orders of the Interior Ministry.
On Saturday the concerned Interior Ministry officers issued few transfer orders. According to these orders, Maryam Khan, who on Friday, was posted as OSD has been given the post of director administration replacing Muhammad Ali.
Muhammad Ali has been transferred and posted as director development, the position that was held by Rana Akbar Hayat. Hayat is now without any post.
Interior ministry sources said that the Islamabad administration was asked to get the issue settled by requesting Maryam Khan to accept her unceremonious removal in violation of the apex court’s orders and join her new post as director administration. Maryam refused to accept her new posting.
Meanwhile, it is also learnt that some people are considering taking the matter to the Supreme Court to get the order reversed to prevent such like arbitrary posting/transfers just a few months before the next elections. “If this order is not reversed, floodgate of politicised postings and transfers would open.
Interior Ministry statement: Meanwhile the Ministry of Interior clarified on Saturday that Maryam Khan was not notified as assistant commissioner. However, she has been posted as director administration against the post of BPS-19 in Islamabad Administration which controls the entire Administration of Islamabad.
A press release said: “Interior Ministry keeps the rights of women and there is no such discrimination with women in Islamabad Administration. Moreover, there are 25 posts in grade 17 and above in Islamabad Administration in which 7 DMG women officers are working.
“The policy of internal transfers in Islamabad Administration is the prerogative of the government as per the assessment and ability of the officers. The new officer is posted in routine. Hence there is no favour to any officer in this regard.”
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