LAHORE - The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control (ET&NC) Director General DG Akram Ashraf Gondal has been flouting the transfer ban imposed by Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) just to please the provincial minister, it has been learnt reliably.
On September 3, the ECP imposed a ban on transfers and postings in wake of by-elections. Sources said, “On the pressure of the minster (concerned), the DG issued transfer orders of more than a dozen officers.
“Gondal posted four officers as ETO against vacant post of Excise-I Rawalpindi from September 14 to September 28,” the sources said.
Taking notice of violation, the ECP directed the ET&NC DG to withdraw the orders but he ordered more transfers, saying: “These orders will be held in abeyance till the culmination of by-election process.”
Two of the transferred officials approached the ECP. The officials told the ECP that the DG stuck to his guns The ECP in two letters, the copies of which are available with The Nation, directed ET&NC DG to withdraw his orders.
The letters read: “As you know that Election Programme of By-election of PP-261 and NA-60 has been issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan on August 17, . As per the directions of ECP issued vide notification No F 8(4)/2018-Cord dated September 3, no government or authority shall post or transfer any officer in the district, where schedule for by-election has been issued till the publication of names of returned candidates.
“However your office vide order No. 5-42/E/E(E&T)-1 dated September 24, 2018 transferred Jam Muhammad Arshad, AETO from Rahim Yar Khan to Multan and in another order No 5-42/E(E&T)-1 dated September 28 transferred Aurang Zeb Khan from Rawalpindi to Gujranwala. The transfer of the officers during the period of the by-election is violation of the notification issued by the ECP”.
