Centre-KP at loggerheads on reshuffling top bureaucrats

ISLAMABAD: The Federal government and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not reached a consensus regarding the appointment of the new Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police (IGP).

According to sources from the Hum Investigation Team (HIT), it has been revealed that numerous names were deliberated between Prime Minister Shahbez Sharif and Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur during a meeting held on Thursday. However, no consensus was reached on the final candidates.

The Establishment after consulting Premier Sharif sent a panel of three officers for the post of Chief Secretary KPK. The Prime Minister has the authority to pick up any one name from the panel to appoint a new Chief Secretary. The Primer usually consults the Chief Minister of the province while appointing any key officer in the province. The PM and Gandapur are in a consulting process to reach an agreement for any name that suits the province.

Three names suggested by eestablishment division include Secretary Housing Shahzad Bangash, Secretary Narcotics Munir Azam, and senior officer Shahab Ali Shah. The Chief Minister wants to appoint Shahab Ali Shah as the new Chief Secretary, while the federal government has reservations about the Chief Minister’s recommended name.

The federal government believes that the current IG Police, Aftab Chaudhry, is performing well and should continue in his position. On the other hand, the Chief Minister has requested the federal government to share a panel of three names for the next week for the IG Police position. According to sources, in the initial round, the names of Maqsood Jah, Saeed Wazir, Salahuddin Mahsud, and Aamir Zulfiqar were considered, but after the meeting between the Prime Minister and Ali Amin, the matter of the IG Police appointment was put on hold.

It has been reported that Chief Secretary Nadeem Islam Chaudhry and IG Police Islamabad Sikander Hayat Gondal are currently holding the position, and they have been informed of the situation.