MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Wednesday constituted a three-member ‘fact-finding committee’ to probe into the allegedly controversial press talk of the former additional inspector general of police (AIGP) in “contravention of the AJK Civil Servant Conduct Rules, 1981”.
On Thursday last, Faheem Ahmed Abbasi, who was only recently elevated to the newly-created position of AIGP, had addressed a press conference in the Central Press Club, during which he had spoken on some issues “beyond his mandate” which, according to official sources, had not gone well with the Foreign Office and other security-related institutions.
A day after the press conference, the government removed him from his position and attached him with the Services and General Administration Department (S&GAD) as an ‘officer on special duty’ (OSD).
The same day, he was served a six-point explanation through IGP Malik Khuda Bakhsh Awan regarding the contents and justification of his press talk, which he had responded to the same evening, pleading not guilty.
The three-member committee, notified through a ‘restricted’ notification includes Sardar Naeem Ahmed Shiraz, Senior Member Board of Revenue, (head), Dr Syed Asif Hussain Shah, Secretary to the President (member) and Zahid Abbasi, officer BPS-20 (member/secretary committee).
The committee has been asked to probe whether holding a press conference by a civil servant without prior permission of the competent authority was violative of the law and rules, and whether a government/civil servant could go to a media centre or press club on his own or at the invitation of media people to share his views on issues related to the government, whatsoever they may be.
Furthermore, it has to dig into the factors “leading to delineation on sensitive issues, disclosure of sensitive information, having certain national and international implications for the government of Pakistan, in particular taking different stance/position about Maulana Sufi Mohammad against the stated position of the federal government.”
The committee has also been asked to recommend further course of action against the officer besides suggesting measures to avert such situation in future.
The committee would submit its report to the competent authority within 10 working days, according to the notification.
Official sources told Dawn that the committee would hear the officer concerned as well as the mediapersons who he had addressed at the press club to carry out its task.
It may be mentioned here that Mr Abbasi has challenged his removal in the Services Tribunal, which would hear the case here on April 13.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1174782/ajk-govt-sets-up-body-to-probe-controversial-press-talk
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