Lahore - Punjab Chief Secretary Jawwad Rafique Malik while reacting to Sialkot incident said that the unfair treatment meted out to an administrative officer in Sialkot's Ramzan Bazaar was condemnable.
In a statement, the Punjab chief secretary said that Assistant Commissioner Sonia Sadaf and other administrative officers were on the frontline despite scorching heat and Corona pandemic. He mentioned that use of unethical language with any officer or staff was condemnable. He said that administrative officers across Punjab were present in the field day and night for convenience of people which was highly laudable.
“It does not suit anyone to humiliate government officials. I salute the tireless work and courage of all officers working in the field,” he remarked. He further said that he had conveyed his reservations about this tragic incident to Punjab chief minister.
Meanwhile, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz also condemned the incident and said government officers were not personal servants of any political leader and Firdous Ashiq Awan’s treatment meted out to a female assistant commissioner in Sialkot shows derogatory attitude of special assistant to chief minister towards others.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister’s Special Assistant on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan scolded an assistant commissioner in public during a visit to a Ramazan bazaar in Sialkot.
In a video, Awan was seen shouting at Assistant Commissioner Sonia Sadaf over the quality of fruit being sold at the market. Dr Firdous reprimanded Sonia Sadaf for failing to control sale of substandard items in Ramazan bazaars.
Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan paid a special visit to Ramazan bazaars. Assistant Commissioner Sonia Sadaf and other officials were also present on the occasion. Firdous took stern notice of the sale of substandard goods and told AC Sialkot that it was her duty to check quality of goods. The special assistant ordered to remove immediately all the poor quality fruit from shops in Ramazan bazaar.
She said that Ramazan bazaars had been set up by the government, it could not be given in the hands of such Thugs (looters) and added that government would be held responsible for all such acts.
When the assistant commissioner Sialkot tried to clear her position and said that government officials were always present there, Firdous reprimanded her and said, “You are getting paid for the work and it is your duty to keep a check on things here.”
Dr Firdous said that government was suffering from bureaucratic machinations. “If you are an assistant commissioner, you should face public instead”.
On this occasion, AC Sonia Sadaf angrily left the venue.
