ISLAMABAD: In a major development, two successive establishment secretaries have set the tone in support of rule of law by implementing the apex court’s order despite the rulers’ pressure on them to ignore the apex court’s directions. In the civil services, the Establishment Secretary is known as the father of the bureaucracy.
On Tuesday Sohail Ahmad, the incumbent secretary establishment, was removed and made OSD for posting Hussain Asghar back to the FIA on court orders. In the same month, Suhail’s predecessor Rauf Chaudhry had to face the wrath of the prime minister when on July 1 he had issued the notification for the return of Zafar Qureshi in the FIA to implement the Supreme Court order.
This remarkable conduct of these two successive establishment secretaries would have great impact on the morale of the bureaucrats, who because of the non-availability of security to their tenure are extremely vulnerable at the hands of their political masters.
Suhail Ahmad was under pressure to ignore the Supreme Court’s order seeking the return of Hussain Asghar as Director FIA to re-join the agency’s investigations into Haj scam. However, he refused to ignore the apex court order and decided to issue the notification following which he was immediately made OSD by the Prime Minister.
According to sources Suhail consulted his officers including those belonging to the litigation wing to conclude that he is duty bound as per the constitution of Pakistan to obey the apex court’s order. Refusing to bow before the pressure of the rulers, Suhail issued a notification that clearly conveys that in compliance of the hon’able SC order Hussain Asghar, a BS 20 officer of the police service of Pakistan, is transferred and posted as director FIA with immediate effect.
Suhail, an upright officer belonging to the district management group, took over the post of secretary establishment early this month following the retirement of Rauf Chaudhry. According to sources Rauf Chaudhry also did a remarkable job when following the apex court’s order he issued notification for the return of Zafar Qureshi to the FIA to take over NICL probe. Rauf Chaudhry had earlier moved a summary to the prime minister seeking Gilani’s approval to reverse Qureshi’s transfer out of the FIA but when directed by the SC he issued the required notification on July 1 without sending a fresh summary to the prime minister or waiting for Gilani to approve the previous summary.
Rauf Chaudhry, who too had a clear service record and got retired on July 6, was reprimanded by the PM’s office for issuing the notification. He, however, made it clear that he had no choice but to obey the order of the apex judicial body of the country.
Though Suhail Ahmed has been immediately made an OSD, Rauf Chaudhry was allowed to continue for the remaining five days of his service as secretary establishment. However, on July 2 Rauf Chaudhry received a summary for the Prime Minister from the interior secretary seeking Gilani’s approval to seek explanation from Zafar Qureshi for his reported statement.
Rauf Chaudhry forwarded the same to Prime Minister Gilani, who instead ordered the suspension of Zafar Qureshi. This order, which clearly reflected personal bias of the Prime Minister, was not notified by the Establishment Division under Rauf Chaudhry. It was the interior secretary, who issued the notification for the suspension of Zafar Qureshi.
Meanwhile the abrupt removal of honest and upright officials like Suhail Ahmad has yet again raised the issue of much required protection to the members of the civilian bureaucracy. Interestingly the last Pay and Pension Committee had also recommended to Prime Minister Gilani to give the required protection to the civil servants but the present chief executive, whose government enjoys the reputation of being one of the most corrupt regimes in the history of Pakistan, has turned a blind eye to this recommendation.








Father of the bureaucracy stands tall