Most of the top positions in the secretariat remain vacant
PESHAWAR(INP): Absence is the word that comes to mind at the first thought, and perhaps absence is what is at the heart of Fata’s troubles; an absence of government; an absence of policy; an absence of infrastructure. All these spaces left by the state for decades on end, that anti-state elements moved in to fill.
Not surprising then that the very civil secretariat that is supposed to improve governance and develop this under-developed region is marked by the absences of top administrative officers, a phantom government and governance that trickles down from the top in Peshawar to the bottom in some tribal region, where the only manifestation of the state that the people have witnessed in recent years is military operations.
Civil Secretariat Fata, which was established about 10 years ago to take over decision making functions in the area has virtually become redundant. Top positions in the secretariat and its attached bodies remain vacant.
In the absence of administrative secretaries the bomb-proof walled compound on the city’s busy Warsak Road that houses several departments and directorates, looks like a haunted place. This vacuum has been created in the secretariat at a time when Fata desperately needs qualified and dedicated officers to pull the area out of post-militancy crises and carry on rehabilitation and reconstruction work.
Makeshift arrangements have been made to run financial and administrative affairs in a turbulent region that is rocked by a decade long militancy and lawlessness. Irony is that relevant officer is not available to offer comments to the media to explain the state of affairs.
Headed by additional chief secretary, the secretariat was established in 2006 having five departments and 13 directorates to improve governance and service delivery system in tribal areas. Currently the posts of additional chief secretary and secretary planning and development have been filled. Other top positions have been either lying vacant or other officers have been given additional charge to look after the same.
The post of finance secretary is vacant. Sikandar Qayyum, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor’s principal secretary, has been looking after finance department as additional charge. However, he is also leaving for Saudi Arabia to perform Haj.
Department of law and order is also without an administrative head. Shakil Qadir Khan, the secretary of planning and development, has been given this important position as additional post. Sources said that Shakil Qadir was relinquishing his position and was likely to rejoin the secretariat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The deputy secretary of law and order department will soon join mid-career training course. So his seat would fall vacant after his departure.
The office of secretary of social sector department, who is primarily responsible for education, health and social welfare, fell vacant few weeks ago after Syed Waqarul Hassan joined National Management Course. He will be in Lahore for six months. Officials said that Mr Hassan would in the secretariat on Saturday and Sunday to dispose of file work.
The posts of secretary of administration and coordination, secretary of production and livelihood and secretary of administration and coordination are lying vacant. Additional secretaries or deputy secretaries may be looking after day to day affairs in these sectors.
In addition, several posts of section officers and deputy secretaries are lying vacant. The posts of deputy secretary services, deputy secretary social sector, section officers, education and coordination have fallen vacant. The seat of public relation officer to additional chief secretary is also vacant and a retired official has been hired on contract. Similarly, the post of director sports and youth affairs is also lying vacant
Now comes to Fata Development Authority (FDA) and Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA). FDA is responsible to execute development projects in the region while FDMA has been mandated to look after pre and post disaster situation in addition to repatriation of millions of internally displaced persons.
These two bodies are functioning without permanent director generals. The newly appointed additional chief secretary, Fida Wazir, was serving as director general FDA. After assuming the office of additional chief secretary, he is also holding the post of director general as additional charge. The post of general manager finance FDA has fallen vacant after Ali Sher Mehsud was transferred.
FDMA is also facing the same dilemma. The post of director general has been lying vacant for the last few months and the local government director, Syed Fayaz Ali, is holding this as additional charge. Wings of the authority have already been clipped after creation of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Unit (RRU) in Fata.
Also fate of political agents of Bajaur, Khyber, Mohmand and Kurram agencies hangs in the balance after provincial establishment department on last Thursday withdrawn retrospective approval granted to their appointment on August 2.
The standing committee of Senate on Safron had earlier in July declared the appointment of four political agents as illegal, because it was not authorised by the governor, who is the competent authority for appointments in the region.
