PM issues orders to restore Rao Tehseen as DG Radio: sources

By
Asif Bhatti
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday ordered to restore Rao Tehseen as the director general radio, sources informed Geo News.  

He is currently a grade 21 officer in the Information Group. 

Tehseen was removed from his position as the Principal Information Officer (PIO) last year in June in the wake of an inquiry into the publication of a news report carried by Dawn newspaper on a meeting between civilian and military leaders.

He was removed in line with the recommendations of a committee set up to hold an inquiry into the story. 

“Rao Tehsin Ali, Principal Information Officer (PIO) of the Ministry of Information, shall be proceeded against under E&D (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules 1973 on the charges based on findings in the instant report”, read the directives signed by Prime Minister’s Princi­pal Secre­tary Fawad Hasan Fawad soon after the report was approved.

Tehseen's restoration orders were issued by the Prime Minister’s Princi­pal Secre­tary Fawad, added sources. 

The Establishment Division, however, maintained that the Federal Cabinet's permission was necessary for Tehseen's appointment, said sources.

The Prime Minister Office held on to the stance that the issued orders were for a posting and not an appointment. It further added that the higher officials of the bureaucracy were incorrectly interlinking the Cabinet's permission with the implementation of the orders.

The PM Office further said that the premier had the authority to decide on any federal officer's posting, with the Establishment Division liable to execute the prime minister's written orders. 

Sources further said that the Information Secretary Ahmed Nawaz was out of the country, on official leaves. The acting Information Secretary Shafqat Jaleel, however, said that they had no knowledge of the orders issued