LAHORE - Longer work hours and undue pressure by Punjab’s chief executive is resulting in deaths and bad health of many of the top officers in the province.
Although the provincial government Friday transferred and replaced several officers who fell ill because of tough duty, the situation of Punjab bureaucracy is far from clear.
Sources have told The Nation that the Chief Secretary, ACS, P&D Chairman, SMBR and other secretaries have to attend many meetings both at the CM office and the Civil Secretariat.
Couple of days back, Punjab Chief Secretary Capt (r) Zahid Saeed pointed out to Finance Minister Dr Aysha Ghous Pasha and other participants in a meeting on the resource management that overburden of work and undue meetings were making the officers ill, a source revealed.
The CS was himself found napping during a recent meeting, as his busy schedule includes lengthy briefings from CM Office and important meetings at the Civil Secretatriat.
Many a times, the officers had to visit their offices to attend the meetings on the holidays as well.
Moreover, according to the sources, the practice of ‘micromanagement’ on the chief executive level is adding to the burden on the government officers. And while the officers are stuck at CM Secretariat, common people try their luck waiting for hours at the offices.
The officers, in question, have no duty hours and are busy in official work, even on the weekends, at the cost of their family life.
To mention only a few cases, former secretary of the Auqaf department (late) Nawazish Ali suffered heart attack after attending the apex court proceedings, and died.
Former Environment Secretary Saeed Iqbal Wahla died of heart attack while going to home from office.
Former Implementation and Coordination (I&C) secretary Farasat Iqbal, overburdened with work, is already hospitalised and Punjab Human Rights Secretary Asim Iqbal has been holding additional charge of I&C office.
Schools Secretary Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, who suffered a heart attack couple of weeks ago, has now been posted as secretary of the Auqaf department. Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik, Project Director at Directorate of Staff Development, replaced him.
Zakat Secretary Salman Iqbal has been relieved from the additional charge of the Auqaf department.
Excise Secretary Dr Ahmad Bilal, who is suffering kidney problem, has been directed to report to the S&GAD. He is expected to go on leave for treatment.
Rawalpindi Commissioner Azmat Mehmood has been directed to take his place as Secretary Excise.
Rawalpindi DC Talat has been given additional charge of the Commissioner office.
Labor Secretary Dr Shoaib Akbar, who is also seriously ill, has been made OSD. He is on a long leave for his treatment. Punjab Health Foundation MD Dr Farah Masood replaced him as secretary. She was holding the secretary office for quite some time as Dr Akbar was on leave.
Special Communication and Works Secretary Khalid Mehmood has been posted as Special Education Secretary while his predecessor Ambreen Raza has been made OSD.
Punjab Text Book Board MD Ahmad Ali Kamboh has been posted as DG Khan Commissioner, a seat lying vacant since retirement of former commissioner Yasrab Hanjra.