ISLAMABAD: The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) on Thursday removed Dr Shahnaz A. Riaz from the post of the director general Federal Directorate of Education (FDE).
Through a notification, Ms Riaz was directed to report to CADD for further posting within the division. The acting charge of the FDE was given to the director colleges, Mehmood Akhtar Malik, till the appointment of a permanent head. However, Ms Riaz termed the notification illegal and refused to step down.
An officer of CADD requesting not to be identified told Dawn that during the previous government an inquiry into eight charges against Ms Riaz had been handed over to Amjad Ali Khan, the secretary Privatisation Commission.
“On Thursday, CADD received the inquiry report from the Privatisation Commission according to which most of the charges had been proved against Ms Riaz.
“In view of the report, Secretary CADD Fareedullah Khan ordered her removal from the post of the DG,” he said.
One of the charges against Ms Riaz was that she did not release funds for the development of two schools in the Prime Minister Colony.
She was also accused of using a government vehicle without authority, he said.
It may be mentioned that Ms Riaz had also been removed from the post a few years back but restored on the direction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Ms Riaz joined the department in 1984 in BPS-17 and according to the rules had to be promoted as the director general in 2001.
During the Musharraf regime, when an army officer was appointed as the director general, Ms Riaz approached the apex court saying she deserved to be promoted and posted as the DG.
In 2003, the court ruled that she should be promoted in accordance with the rules and regulations. But a few days after giving her the charge of the FDE, Ms Riaz was transferred to the Academy of Education Planning.
After this, she again moved the court and continued the legal battle till May 31, 2012, when a three-member bench of the court headed by the then Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry restored her on the post of the FDE director general.
Joint Secretary CADD Rafique Tahir confirmed to Dawn that Ms Riaz had been removed and the current charge given to the director colleges.
When contacted, Ms Riaz said she was the head of an attached department in BPS-20 and had been appointed by the prime minister.
“I can only be removed on the direction of the prime minister. So I am not going to accept any notification and will not leave the charge. In fact, some elements have been trying to remove me because I started inquiries against them. If PM removes me I will follow the orders and am ready to work in any department,” she said.
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