LAHORE/DERA GHAZI KHAN: A day after the Chakwal deputy commissioner (DC) accused a ruling party MNA of interfering in official matters, the deputy commissioner of Rajanpur complained to the high-ups that MNA Sardar Nasrullah Khan Dareshak and his sons, provincial minister Sardar Hasnain Bahadar Dareshak, former MPA Sardar Ali Raza Dareshak and MPA Awais Dareshak, were pressing him for the transfer and posting of revenue staff and officials of the Border Military Police (BMP).

The issue prompted Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar to seek a report from the chief secretary after conducting ‘comprehensive investigations’.

In his letter to the Dera Ghazi Khan commissioner, DC Allah Ditta Warraich alleged that MNA Nasrullah Dareshak along with his son, MPA Awais Dareshak, had humiliated him in his office on Sept 1 and said that all transfers of patwaris and BMP officials be made according to his instructions. “He asked me to transfer in charge daffadar BMP Firdaus Gorchani at any cost for allegedly supporting his political rival, former Punjab Assembly deputy speaker Sardar Sher Ali Gorchani,” the DC wrote.

He further stated that the MNA complained that he had been asking the DC to give a good posting to Shahid Hassan Gorchani, a jamadar of BMP, but the orders had been ignored and now the jamadar was no more. “The legislator categorically directed me not to order any transfer/posting without his consent in his constituency,” the DC stated.

Warraich further quoted MNA Dareshak as saying that he had been in opposition for the last 10 years but now he would ensure good postings for all his favourite BMP officials and patwaris.

Disturbed over his ‘humiliation’, the DC said when he asked Mr Dareshak why he did not shake hands with him when he stood up to welcome him in his office, the MNA responded: “I was expecting you to come out of your room and receive me. Since you did not, therefore, I did not shake hands with you. It is a humiliation for a Sardar if an officer does not come out of his office to receive him, and a deputy commissioner is not a big officer for me.”

The DC has also explained to the commissioner in detail about the MNA’s phone calls, messages, communication from the commissioner office and his return calls to the legislator.

The DC has requested the commissioner that the matter be referred to the competent authority to initiate proceedings against the MNA as per law on charges of political interference in the smooth working of the office of the deputy commissioner and humiliating a government servant for not according him undue and unlawful protocol.

The DC has sent copies of his complaint to the Punjab chief election commissioner, chief secretary and secretary to the chief minister. Provincial minister Hasnain Dareshak termed the allegations of pressurising the DC baseless. He said since his election, he neither visited the DC nor made him a phone call.

“Before the election, I was summoned once by the DC/district monitoring officer over the alleged violation of election code of conduct. Since then, we have not met,” he claimed.

Hasnain also rejected the DC’s claim about his father. “My father has always advised us to remain respectful to officers.”

When Dawn contacted DG Khan Commissioner Rana Gulzar, he said the matter had come to his knowledge through social media and when he would receive the letter from the Rajanpur DC he would take appropriate action to resolve the “matter of some misunderstanding between two dignitaries in a highly prestigious way”.

When MNA Nasrullah was contacted, he said he was busy with the presidential election and would respond later.

This is the fourth such reported case of alleged interference in official matters since the formation of the PTI government in Punjab following the Pakpattan DPO’s transfer, alleged harassment of the Rahim Yar Khan AC who transferred revenue staff and the Chakwal DC’s complaint.

(Shakeel Ahmad contributed to this report from Multan)

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2018