Daily Times

Inam-GhaniThe federal government on Tuesday notified the transfer and posting of high-ranking officers.

According to a notification issued by the Establishment Division, Kamran Ali Afzal, a BS-22 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service, presently posted as secretary Industries and Production Division, has been transferred and posted as chief secretary, Government of the Punjab, with immediate effect and until further orders.

Sardar Ali Khan, a BS-21 officer of Police Service of Pakistan, presently serving under Government of Punjab, has been transferred and posted as provincial police officer (PPO), Government of Punjab, with immediate effect and until further orders, the notification read. Khan has replaced Inam Ghani, who has been transferred and posted as the inspector general of Pakistan Railways Police with immediate effect, said the notification.

The appointments have been made based on a summary forwarded to the cabinet by the Punjab chief minister. According to official sources, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had recommended three names each for the new Punjab chief secretary and the IGP to Prime Minister Imran Khan. For the chief secretary, Buzdar had reportedly recommended the names of Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, Kamran Ali Afzal and Babar Hayat Tarrar, and for IGP his picks were Sardar Ali Khan, Zafar Iqbal and Mohsin Butt.

Media reports earlier claimed that PM Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had decided in a meeting to make the important changes to the Punjab government. The Punjab chief minister had decided to inform the federal government in writing about replacing the IG Punjab and the Punjab chief secretary. The provincial cabinet is also likely to be shuffled in the coming days, a private TV channel claimed.

Afzal is the fifth Punjab chief secretary while Khan is the seventh IGP during the three years of the PTI-led government. The new Punjab chief secretary belongs to the 21st Common of the District Management Group while the new IGP belongs to 18th Common and is currently serving as the managing director of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority.

The latter has a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, and a Masters of Law (LLM) from the London School of Economics. He has also served as the Balochistan deputy inspector general of police and Khanewal divisional police officer for the Punjab police.

Newly appointed Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal called on Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday and discussed administrative matters of the province. Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and the newly appointed Inspector General (IG) Police Rao Sardar Ali Khan also attended the meeting via video link. During the meeting, administrative matters of Punjab as well as law and order situation in the province were discussed. The prime minister directed the chief secretary to ensure effective administrative measures to check the prices of essential items in the province. He also directed IGP Punjab to ensure law and order and take strict legal action against land mafia and corrupt elements.