Chief Secretary victimizing honest local officers in Gilgit-Baltistan: Wazir Baig
Special Reporter
Gilgit, Nov 8: Speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly, Wazir Baig, has accused the Chief Secretary of victimizing honest local officers and replacing them with corrupt non-locals officials. He has also demanded removal of the current Chief Secretary and has asked the federal government to replace him with a local, honest, officer.
The statement was published in a major local daily one day after the sudden removal of an upright and honest local officer, Gul Baig, who has been unceremoniously removed from the position of Secretary Planning and Local Bodies, over unexplained charges of “inefficiency”.
Wazir Baig has said that Gul Baig was leading investigation into the issue of bouncing of bank cheques as part of a committee constituted by GBLA earlier this month. He has hinted that the officer might have been removed to sabotage the investigation process.
The Speaker has said that the Chief Secretary has formed a group of non-local officials and the honest local officers are gradually being removed, by the corrupt non-local officials are making hay.
Wazir Baig also said that earlier this year a director of the food department was removed from his position by the Chief Secretary “merely because there was a hole in a sack of wheat grains”.
Baig has accused the Chief Secretary, who was recently appointed by Wattoo, of leading corruption into the ISD (Internal Security Duty) issues, on which hundreds of millions of rupees have been spent.
If the power is in the Cabinet of Gilgit Baltistan, then should be transfer chief sectary immediately who is being involve in corruption and don’t want to see such an honest Local official as Gul Baig but unfortunately the Wattoo,s official will achieve his target and Speaker statement become just a statement and nothing.
Sher Azam
Islamabad
Chief secretary is actually the representative of Pakistan to GB and he is a public servant-nothing more. GB council has authority to keep him in limits.
Democracy in the present Government is corruption and dishonesty, it is not possible to bear honest people in the office. Because local officers are not in the position to transfer resources to the chief secretary. He needs a corrupt officer for professional handling of the budget. The cabinet must take it seriously to restore the current position of Mr. Gul Baig secretary Planing and local Bodies. It is great insult of the local officers.
Thanks to Speaker GBLA for speaking the truth as usual we salute your courage and straight forward statements against the post dogra siege of Gilgit Baltistan.In fact all the power is still within the Chief Secretary imported from Punjab. The current Chief Secretary appointed by Watoo seems to be the owner of GB and the elected representatives and local competent and honest officers are gradually removed or transferred to pave the way for their unjust corruption. The current event is one of the example of extreme humiliation and defaming of secretary planning and development who is blamed for inefficiency as all know he is a competent and honest CSS officer of the area. Some of the GBLA members are also supporting such corrupt non local officers for their personal benefit. The local media is also publishing news without facts and investigations and seems they are also favoring the wrong doers. The key positions are all filled by non locals once again to loot and plunder the wealth of GB.They never think about the interest of the people or Pakistan instead they are damaging and destroying GB. One of the key corruption areas is the vehicles deployed for security and millions of budget goes to their personal account. The issue of bounced cheques is another example of corruption when they deploy a non local again of their own choice. If the situation remains so then this will lead GBians towards another Baluchistan like situation. I will request all GBian Politicians, intellectuals, civil society to wake up and struggle for their right that is based on merit, competency, and corruption free self governance instead of Post dogra rulers who looted the area since independence in 1948.
The post British rulers of Pakistan considered Gilgit – Baltistan as one of their colonial state and the present establishment function with the same mindset. The colonial attitude resulted division of Pakistan ,when the local Bangali,s were considered inferior and inefficient by the establishment.Unfortunately we are continuing the same policy in Baluchistan, which is on the verge of collapse as declared by supreme court of Pakistan. The people of Gilgit -Baltistan have been divided on the sectarian and linguistic fault lines to impose the divide and rule policy of the British empire.This is a wakeup call for the people of Gilgit -Baltistan to unite against the conspiracy and fight for the democratic rights of the population. We can count the few honest civil servants of the region including Mr.Gul Baig ; we strongly condemn the action taken against him by the most powerful bureaucrat of the region to promote corruption and nepotism.
We strongly condemn the action taken against the son of the region , Mr. Gulbaig by the cheif secretary and request the CM and Governer to export CS to punjab where he will collect money for Watto in his hometown.
WELCOME OUR ROBUST SPEAKER, WAZIR BAIG SAHIB, WE SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR BOLD ACTION AGAINST ALL WRONG DOINGS. YOU MIGHT BE AWARE THAT THE AUTHORITIES CONCERN HAVE PUT THE POSITIONS OF JUDGES OF THE APEX COURT PUT ON A SALE? IS THIS JUSTIFICATION. WE EXPECT THAT YOUR HONOR WOULD INTERVENE AND INVESTIGATE THIS BLUNDER AND IMPORTANT ISSUE AT YOUR END. IF POSITIONS IN THE APEX COURT OF GB IS PUT ON SALE WHAT WE EXPECT JUSTICE WITH THE INNOCENT PEOPLE OF GB FROM THESE PEOPLE. IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE LAW MINISTER GB HIMSELF HAS SHOWN INTEREST IN THESE POSITIONS. IST OF ALL HE SHOULD RESIGN FROM THE MINISTRY THEN HE SHOULD APPLY FOR THESE POSITIONS. MERIT IS BEING KILLED IN GB THAT IS WHY BAD GOVERNANCE IS EVERY WHERE IN GB. SO PLEASE DO SOMETHING AND ENSURE THAT ATLEST APPOINTMENTS IN THE APEX COURT SHOULD MUST BE MADE ON MERIT IN ORDER TO SMOOTHLY RUN THE AFFAIRS OF PEOPLE OF GILGIT BALTISTAN.
We strongly agree with the streight forward stance of Mr.Speaker who has been the only public representative raising voice against any injustice in this era of corruption. Many times his voice was heard agaainst the corruption and injustice done by the non-local officers and federal govt ministers. We love Mr.baig and hopwe he will continue it
This plight will go further till the day every Gbian is awaken….but unfortunately, track record of this region shows it will never happen, as a considerable number of locals are serving their masters to extreme limits of ‘shah say ziada shah key wafadaar’.
Speaker’s statements and standpoints are certainly encouraging but an outspoken person like him have always been cornered, for being straightforward, honest, loyal to the region, etc are no more merits these days.
Media, local officers, advocates and civil society should raise voice and bring the case to the SC, as no suo-motto action is expected for this poor region.
Good decision by Mr Wazir Baig against the Chief secretary.Civil society must support Mr wazir Baig on this issue and send the chief secretary back home.This is the right time to stand up and support Mr Gul Baig also,everyone knows he is an Honest and Brave officer in Gilgit Baltistan.
Thanks
Eidullah Baig
Dubai
We are grateful for the support and good wishes of u all for Gul Baig Bhai. Indeed as an responsible Officer of GB as well as our community Gul Beg has a clear and crystal background and perhaps such person has no value ion our society as the whole system is indulge in corruption and personal benefits. It is strange that Gul Beg has been removed on the reason that he has delayed the projects. everyone knows that projects are delayed due to non payments from Federal Govt and resultantly the contractors of GB marked the visit of PM to GB last month as black day and demonstrated against Federal Govt to pay the long outstanding bills and threatened that they will stop working on the ongoing projects throughout the GB. Watoo wants to divert his failure on GB govt particularly on selected officers who has no political support. GB govt should ask the CS to stop acting as agent of watoo and work on merit basis. He has no right to discriminate people and by the way, what of the role of the Dummy Governor. Is he a statue or he has some responsibility, occupying a huge office and staff and just spending money from state exchequer.
Khudadad
Charlotte NC USA.
Posting and transfers are part of the systems of any organization and Gul sb is employee of the federal government. But I wonder if he has been posted out for good! I am certain the CM and his team has a strong say in the decision making process for officers to stay or leave GB.
I presume that there are few exceptional officers of Gul sb’s caliber from GB working in the federal government and they are most needed in GB because they understand more the context.
I expect the concerned stakeholders to review their decision and extend Gul sb’s stay in GB and that will help improve service delivery in those difficult location.