In a unanimous resolution, the Pakistan Administrative Service Association (PAS) Punjab on Saturday strongly condemned the recent filing of an anti-corruption case against two senior civil service officers.
President of PAS Punjab, Ihsan Bhatta, has penned a letter to Chief Secretary Punjab, Zahid Akhtar Zaman, urging him to play a crucial role in securing the dismissal of this case.
The letter, which has garnered support from prominent ex-civil servants including Ex-Secretary Services Masood Mukhtar and Ex-Secretary Implementation Dr. Asif Tufail highlights the association's concerns about the potential repercussions of such cases on the future operations of government services.
President Ehsan Bhatta stated, "Both the officers did nothing wrong, and pursuing such cases may have adverse consequences in the future. We fear that Secretaries of Services or Chief Minister Secretariats may hesitate to send essential summaries or letters in the future."
The letter emphasised the central role of the Chief Minister in decision-making processes, stating that neither the Secretary Services nor the Secretary Implementation can initiate a summary without the explicit will and orders of the Chief Minister. It also underscores that the appointment of the Principal Secretary must be approved by the Chief Minister.
President Bhatta further urged, "Chief Secretary Punjab should take immediate action to terminate the FIR filed against these officers and exclude their names from the case."
The PAS Punjab Association is also calling on the Director-General of Anti-Corruption to refrain from filing cases against any officer until a thorough investigation is complete.
The matter is set to be discussed in a scheduled meeting between the Pakistan Administrative Service Association and Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman on Monday.
As the controversy unfolds, questions about the due process and the relationship between civil service officers, the Chief Minister, and the Anti-Corruption Department continue to be raised, stirring discussions within the administrative circles of Punjab.
