Daily Times

The Administrator of the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) has been compelled to withdraw recent appointment orders for Zonal Officers Planning (ZOP) after the Punjab Local Government Board (PLGB) declared them illegal. According to a letter issued by Secretary Local Government Board Rizwan Nazir, the appointments in Nishtar Zone and Data Ganj Bakhsh Zone involved serious violations of established rules and regulations.

The disputed appointments included the following officials:

1.Fiza Tariq – Additional charge as AZO (P), Nishtar Zone

2. Mahmood Mirza – Additional charge as ZO (P), Nishtar Zone

3. Ms. Tanzila Latif – Additional charge as Council Officer, MCL

4. Riaz Ahmad – Additional charge as Council Officer, DGB Zone

The letter clarified that such appointments fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Punjab Local Government Board and cannot be made without its explicit approval. The appointments, which were made without adhering to Policy Letter No. LCS(Admin)-3(29)/76-P dated March 4, 2021, were termed unauthorized and void ab initio.

The Secretary emphasized that neither the Administrator MCL nor any other official has the authority to appoint officers to such posts or grant additional charges without prior approval from the PLGB. The Administrator was instructed to immediately rescind these orders.

Following the directives, the Administrator MCL has officially revoked all the contested orders. The letter also advised that if any such appointments or additional charges are deemed necessary, they must first be referred to the Local Government & Community Development (LG&CD) Department for approval.

This incident highlights the need for strict adherence to legal protocols within the MCL and other local government bodies. Experts suggest that such unauthorized actions undermine institutional integrity and could lead to further administrative challenges.

The PLGB’s intervention is seen as a move to uphold the rule of law and reinforce the importance of procedural compliance within local government departments.