KARACHI: The Sindh wildlife conservator has been transferred and an officer of the forest department besides being allowed to continue in his own position, has been given the additional charge of the wildlife conservator, it has been learnt.

According to sources, the development is against the superior judiciary’s directives which had recently expressed concern over influential officials of one department holding post of other departments. It had cancelled all such deputations, postings and transfers and the Sindh government had to send back all its ‘favourite’ officials to their parent departments.

The sources said that to bypass the directive the influential and favourite bureaucrats are, however, allowed by the government to hold their desired posts in other departments as “additional charges” besides holding their original posts in their parent departments.

A Jan 15 notification issued by the Sindh chief secretary said: “Taj Moh­a­m­mad Shaikh, Conservator Wildlife (BS 19), Forest and Wildlife Department, is transferred and directed to report to the secretary Forest and Wildlife department.” Mr Shaikh’s transfer was quite unexpected because he is retiring in few months. Another notification, dated Jan 18 issued by the chief secretary reads: “Javed Ahmed Mahar, Con­servator of Forests (Man­groves), Forest and Wildlife Department, Karachi, is allowed to hold the charge of the post of conservator Wildlife (BS 19), Forest and Wildlife Department, in addition to his own duties, till further orders.”

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2019