GUJRAT: The Punjab government has handed over additional charge of Gujrat deputy commissioner (DC) to Mandi Bahauddin DC Muzaffar Sial.

Earlier, the additional charge was being held by Irfan Ali Kathia, the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) revenue of Grade 18, who was sent to National Institute of Public Administration, Lahore for mid-career management course around a weel( ago.

The seat of the DC has been vacant since the transfer and posting of Liaquat Ali Chattha as the Sargodha DC a month ago.

Meanwhile, Mr Kathia has informed the Punjab government of not continuing as the ADC after he proceeded on a course mandatory for promotion. After completing the three-month course, Kathia will be considered for a Grade19 post.

However, the provincial government has been unable to take a decision on filling the important seats of Gujrat DC, ADC (revenue), ADC (general) and ADC (headquarters), but instead has been giving additional charge for the last few weeks.

Official sources told Dawn that three names were forwarded to the chief minister by the chief secretary`s office for Gujrat DC, which were Mandi Bahauddin DC Sial, Services and General Administration Department Additional Secretary Khawaja Sohail and an additional secretary of the energy department.

They said that a senior official of the chief minister`s office, who belonged to Mandi Bahauddin district`s political family, was lobbying for Sial, whereas senior PML-N leader Chaudhry Ahmed Saeed, who is said to have a say in the provincial government as well as the ruling party regarding affairs of Gujrat, was keen to get Kathia on the post.

The sources further said that it was Saeed on whose recommendations the Punjab government had previously posted Chattha as the DC three years ago. The added that giving additional charge of the DC to Sial showed that the provincial government could further delay the posting of officers in Gujrat on regular basis.

A local PML-N leader said that due to the delay in postings, the working of government machinery as well as public was suffering, while ongoing development schemes would also be neglected.