KARACHI: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has notified that the postings/transfers, which were made after issuance of election program i.e. May 31, 2018, stand cancelled ab-initio and directed federal as well as provincial government to send proposals of postings/transfers, if so required of officers and officials for consideration of the Election Commission.
Section 5(4) of the Elections Act, 2017 read with section 230(f) of the Elections Act, provides that no authority or government including a care-taker government shall post or transfer any official without prior approval in writing of the Election Commission after the issuance of election program.
Election Commission may itself issue directions to any such government or authority for posting transfer of any official. It has come into notice of the Election Commission that some postings/transfers of the officers have been made after the issuance of election program without prior approval of the Election Commission by Federal and the Provincial governments which is violation of the provisions of the Elections Act, 2017.
As far as Pakistan Customs is concerned transfers and postings in the last four years were malafide as officers and officials were abruptly and abnormally transferred to destroy the writ of Customs.
Chief Collector Abdul Rasheed Sheikh and Director General Shaukat Ali misused their authorities and transferred employees for victimization. Officers and officials were abruptly and abnormally transferred including Principal Appraisers Javed Akhtar, Zahid Pervez (retired), Shafiullah, Rafiullah (retired), Shahid Rizvi, Sultan Aurungzeb, Appraising Officers Shahid Ibrahim Dasti, Qasim Sheikh, Babar Gulzar, Raja Wasim, Imran Aslam and many others.
These officials were moved even to other provinces as they detected revenue evasion and smuggling cases and served contravention reports on importers. Contravention reports were withdrawn and officials were transferred to bad postings as a punishment. They had detected frauds pertaining to the import of iron, steel and mobile phones etc.
Moreover, competent intelligence officers and officials were transferred to weaken the intelligence network.
Sources said a contractor of Orange Line imported a Rolls Royce vehicle and tried to get the vehicle cleared on reduced duty and taxes. However, the assessing officer did not succumb the pressure and imposed legitimate rate of duty. As a punishment the said official was also transferred.
Sources said the transfers and postings in the last four years on the recommendation/order of Chief Collector Abdul Rasheed Sheikh and Director General I&I Shaukat Ali needs to be properly investigated.
The transfers and postings notified in Pakistan Customs dated May 31, 2018, which were actually surfaced on FBR’s website on June 01, 2018 have created a confusion whether these are applicable. Besides, these officials have not been relieved of their existing duties. Lawyers are of the view that these officials should not hand over the charge of their existing postings after the election Commission’s order.