KARACHI: The city commissioner was on Monday replaced as the provincial government in a major reshuffle in the bureaucracy transferred and posted 10 senior officers of Grade 20 and 21.

Well-placed sources told Dawn that some of the officers were transferred and posted in other departments mainly on the recommendations of newly-reshuffled cabinet members while others as per the federal government’s policy. The secretaries of information, agriculture, finance and planning departments were among the transferred officials.

According to a notification, Karachi Commissioner Naved Ahmed Shaikh, an officer of Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS) in Grade-21, was transferred and posted until further orders as chairman of the chief minister’s inspection, enquiries and implementation team, replacing Muhammed Iqbal Memon, another PAS officer in Grade-21, who was posted as commissioner of Karachi Division with immediate effect until further orders.

The sources said that the commissioner was replaced as his services were likely to be withdrawn to the federal government shortly. The officer is stated to be awaiting promotion in Grade-22, which would be done after he was posted in the federal government service as per the policy.

On Aug 5, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had expanded his cabinet by inducting four more ministers — Mohammad Sajid Jokhio, Giyanoo Mal, Syed Zia Abbas Shah and Jam Khan Shoro, and three advisers — Manzoor Hussain Wassan for agriculture, Fayaz Ali Butt for zakat and ushr, and Rasool Bux Chandio for rehabilitation and relief .

The CM had also reallocated portfolios of several cabinet members, including information minister and education ministers.

Agriculture, Food and Prices Secretary Abdul Rahim Soomro, a PAS Grade 20 officer, was transferred and posted as member of the Board of Revenue replacing Pervez Ahmed Seehar, who was posted as agriculture secretary.

In a significant move, the provincial government transferred provincial finance secretary Syed Hassan Naqvi, a Grade-20 PAS officer, and posted him as chairman of the Planning & Development (P&D) Board, relieving Dr Sheeren Mustafa of the additional charge of the chairperson of P&D Board.

Special Finance Secretary Asif Jahangir was posted as finance secretary.

Special Secretary Bilal Ahmed (Grade-20) was transferred and posted as investment secretary, relieving Abdul Haleem Shaikh of the additional charge of the office.

Laeeq Ahmed, a grade-20 officer of Secretariat Group, awaiting posting after his transfer from the office of the Karachi administrator, was posted as labour and human resource secretary in place of Abdul Rasheed Solangi, a grade-20 officer. He was posted as information secretary replacing Ejaz Hussain Baloch who was posted as member of the Board of Revenue.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2021