Influential duo rules Neeli Bar

ISLAMABAD: The Neeli Bar comprising districts of Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan of Punjab is being ruled by a well-connected duo without holding any official or political position.

The father and son pair is well known in the political and bureaucratic circles for their meddling and influence they enjoy, officials, who are privy to their activities and do not want to be named, confided to The News.

The pair is neither elected nor office-bearer of any political party including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) but rules the roost in the Neeli Bar. They have more clout and decisive say in the administrative affairs of the Sahiwal division than any cabinet member.

However, when contacted, Punjab government spokesman Hassan Khawar told The News that it was wrong to allege any outside interference in the postings and transfers of bureaucrats in Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan districts.

“Everything is being done keeping in accordance with merit and under the law. Officers, who don’t deliver up to the mark, have been sidelined, and those who performed well have been issued appreciation certificates,” he said.

Hassan Khawar said the chief minister’s special monitoring unit continues to observe and watch the performance of officers, and the reward and punishment is decided by the chief minister and the chief secretary in the light of its recommendations.

He said the Punjab government constantly evaluates the officers' efficiency and working in different positions. He said that the law and rules were always adhered to in dealing with them.

However, other officials said that the chief minister and his office make all postings, transfers and key appointments in the Sahiwal division on the desire and wishes of the influential couple.

The elder member of the duo gets senior officers transferred if they even fail to respond to his phone call. Falling on the wrong side of the pair means severe damage to the career of the concerned government servant.

In the last three years since August 2018, seven district police officers (DPOs) have been transferred from Pakpattan. They included Rizwan Gondal, Maria Mahmood, Abadit Nasir, Sahibzada Bilal Omer, Najeebur Rehman Bugvi, Malik Jameel Zafar and Faisal Mukhtar. Their average tenure comes to five months as opposed to the requirement of law that is three years.

Over the past three years, six commissioners of Sahiwal have been transferred, making the average tenure of the premier field functionary and head of divisional administration six months. The last commissioner was sent packing a couple of months ago because he could not respond to the phone call of the younger member of the duo. The chief minister’s office forced the commissioner to visit the famous farmhouse and seek forgiveness from the elder member. He complied with the advice, but to no avail, and was transferred.

A ground check revealed that the XENs of Irrigation, Multan Electric Supply Company, highways and public health, Tehsildars, deputy superintendents of police, station house officers and revenue officials, and officers of the federal departments like Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited, National Database & Registration Authority and Federal Investigation Authority are advised by their superiors to show deference to the duo or else they would not be able to continue in the Neeli Bar.

Officials claimed that in many cases the chief minister’s office and departmental heads counsel their field officials posted in the Sahiwal division to visit the Lahore farmhouse of the pair and mend fences with them or seek repentance for their “lapses”.

They say that to ridicule, insult, threaten and victimize the bureaucrats who fail to live up to the expectations of the duo is a regular affair, and the chief minister’s office or senior officers in the Punjab secretariat express their inability to support officers and look the other way. Officers are recommended by the chief minister’s office to establish a working relationship with the pair.

The Neeli Bar area like the central Punjab is the heartland of the political support base of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN). Its following is evident from the fact that out of nine members of the National Assembly from the region, eight belong to the PMLN. Similarly, out of 20 members of the Punjab Assembly, fifteen were elected on the PMLN tickets.

Since the opposition lawmakers are not given any stakes or say in the administrative and developmental affairs in Punjab and PTI public representatives are hardly there, the vacuum created has been filled by the duo. The elder in the duo did not respond to text and WhatsApp messages and call to his cell phone.