PESHAWAR, April 4: The provincial government has taken a bad start in its first major reshuffle in bureaucracy by retaining reemployed lot of officers on key positions.

Reshuffle in bureaucracy was on the cards since the ANP-led coalition formed the government, but some of the changes made on key positions fell short of expectations in many ways.

For instance, retaining the reemployed officers on key positions disappointed many in the official circles. The Awami National Party, the major coalition partner, was the only party that had even mentioned in its election manifesto that reemployment of officers reaching the age of superannuation would be discouraged.

The government, however, did not touch those 16 officers who had been given extensions in service by the previous MMA government in violation of rules and regulations, retaining most of them on key positions. Interestingly, most of these officers have completed their in-post tenure, but even then they have not been dislocated from their existing positions.

Speculations are rife that some of the reemployed contract officers, who were widely believed to have been hired by the wheeler-dealers in the previous MMA dispensation, have managed to retain their jobs by working out new arrangements with the people who matter.

Likewise, the replacement orders of administrative secretaries of 15 provincial departments have left not a single officer from other provinces working against any key position, which in the official circles is viewed as divergent to the very spirit of inter-provincial placement of officers from the All Pakistan Unified Group (APUG).

Ghulam Dastagir Akhtar and Abdul Khaliq Awan, serving as additional chief secretary and secretary for finance, respectively, both hailing from Punjab, fell prey to Thursday’s reshuffle. They have been directed to report to the establishment and administration department (E&AD) and it seems they will be surrendered to the federal government soon.

Also, the reshuffle disturbed the set rules in terms of post occupancy at key positions between officers from the APUG and the Provincial Management Service (PMS), formerly known as Provincial Civil Service (PCS).

According to the share formula, 65 per cent of the scheduled posts of Grade 21 have to be filled through officers of the APUG and the rest through PMS officers. Similarly, 60 per cent of Grade 20 posts, mostly of provincial secretaries, have to be filled through APUG officers and the remaining through PMS officers.

But Thursday’s changes affected this share formula by increasing the occupancy of PMS officers as provincial secretaries, officials said.

Meanwhile, in another notification issued late Thursday night, the government posted Javed Iqbal as the new additional chief secretary of the province, replacing Ghulam Dastagir Akhtar, who was directed to report to the E&AD.

Likewise, Teepu Mohabat Khan has been posted as secretary for home and tribal affairs by replacing Badshah Gul Wazir, who has been directed to report to the E&AD. Hifzur Rehman, project director, decentralisation support programme, has been posted as secretary for local government and rural development by replacing Dr Hamad Awais Agha. Mr Agha has been directed to report to the E&AD.

Shah Wali Khan, secretary for environment, has been posted as secretary for industries, commerce, labour and mineral development by replacing Ziaur Rehman, who has been posted as secretary for finance. Abdul Khaliq, serving as secretary for finance, has been directed to report to the E&AD.

Dr Tashfeen Khan, secretary for health, has been posted as secretary for housing department by replacing Jamil Amjad, who has been directed to report to the E&AD. Dr Syed Sohail Altaf, additional secretary for industries, has been posted as secretary for health.

Fazal Karim Khattak, district coordination officer of Malakand, has been posted as secretary for inter-provincial coordination and Hussain Zada Khan, provincial relief commissioner, has been posted as secretary for environment.

Mohammad Hamayun, director general and secretary, Provincial Earthquake Reconstruction Agency, has been directed to report to the E&AD, posting Nasir Azam (SG BS-19) in his place.

Sahibzada Fazal Amin has been posted as secretary for sports, culture and tourism. Zubair Shah, who was made officer on special duty on Thursday, was posted as secretary for population welfare through another notification issued on Friday.