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17 federal officials dismissed

T.A. MALIK

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday terminated the services of 17 officers of various ministries and divisions, found guilty on the charges of gross misconduct, corruption, inefficiency, unauthorised absence from the duty and financial irregularities.

While major penalties have been imposed on three other senior officers who were also involved in corruption and misconduct.

The decision has been taken against them after finalisation of proceedings under Efficiency and Discipline Rules 1973.

Sources said that the Chief Executive Gen Pervez Musharraf, has also approved their dismissal, removal and other major penalties to eradicate the corruption from the government functionaries.

The Establishment Division has asked the ministries and divisions to submit a report against those officers who are inefficient and involved in corruption, misconduct and financial embezzlement.

The ministries, following the directives of the Establishment Division put their reports to the authorities and constitute enquiry committees. The Division has been taken on the recommendations of authorised enquiry officers, the sources added.

They said that a number of enquiry committees are working in the ministries and the Establishment Division and the Cheif Executive is the final authority to endorse or refuse the recommendations of the Division.

According to a official press release, as part of the present government's on-going accountability drive aimed at eradication of corruption and malpractices from every walk of life particularly from government offices, the government has vowed to take stern action against government functionaries who have been found guilty of such charges. The process of completion of departmental procedures is proceeding expeditiously resulting in satisfactory progress in toning up the administrative machinery.

Due to the government's determination to finalise these cases expeditiously, 20 officers involved in gross misconduct, inefficiency, and corruption, financial irregularities and unauthorised absence from duty.

The officers include Mazhar Iqbal Shakir, Ex-SME/CL-18, Pakistan Railways, Lahore (dismissed from service); Asif Raza, DATA Processing Officer, BS-17, Revenue Division, Islamabad, (dismissed from service); Amjad Mumtaz, Assistant Chief, BS-18, Ministry of Industries and Production (removed); Abdul Rauf Chaudhry, Assistant Director, Directorate of Registration, Interior Division, (demoted from BS-17 to 16); Arshad Adil Khawaja, BS-18, Ministry of Science and Technology, (dismissed); Zahid Rashid, Deputy Director, Bs-18, Directorate General (MIS), Auditor General's Office, (removed); Mohammad Anwar, BS-17, Geological Survey of Pakistan, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, (dismissed); Shafique Ahmad, BS-17, AWM, HIT, Defence Production Division, (removed); Intesar Ahmad Khan, BS-18, DAQ, Pakistan Railways, Multan, (major penalty of reduction of pay); Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh, BS-18, Assistant Professor, ICB, Islamabad, Ministry of Education, (removed); Sania Tanvir, BS-17, Female Medical Officer, Hangu, NWFP, (removed); Iqbal Ahmad Channa, Bs-17, Research Associates, Ministry of Population Welfare, (removed); Dr. Farkhanda Jaffery, BS-17, Medical Officer, Health Department, SAFRON Division, (dismissed and recovered Rs 100,000); Ahmad Hassan, BS-17, Audit Officer, DG, Audit, Punjab, Lahore, (pay reduced); Ghulam Mustafa Mir, BS-17, Accounts Officers, A.G. office (AJK) (compulsory retirement); Amin-e-Anjum, Commissioner Income Tax, BS-20, CBR, (compulsory retirement); Zakir Hussain Khan, BS-17, Assistant Director, Ministry of Commerce, (removed); Wasim Ahmed Cheema, BS-18, Deputy Director, Ministry of Commerce, (removed); and Dr. Taj Bibi, Bs-18, Medical Officer, JPMC, Karachi, (removed).