By SIB
February 5, 2025
ISLAMABAD: The government has initiated the process to terminate Mr Tahir Khurshid, BPS- 21 officer from Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Principal Secretary to the then Punjab Chief Minister Mr Usman Buzdar during the PTI regime. The inquiry report about Mr Khurshid was submitted to the Prime Minister on February 3, 2024, for the final decision.
“Prime Minister appointed Mr Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary Interior as inquiry officer on July 17, 2023 on the misuse of authority by awarding of tenders to favorite contractors,” reveals the final show cause notice extended to Mr Khurshid.
“Mr Tahir Khurshid has been facing allegations of corruption and money laundering with the connivance of Ms Farhat Shehzadi popularly known as Gogi who was very close to the spouse of the then Prime Minister Imran Khan. Mr Tahir Khurshid, however, managed to go abroad on one-month leave on the pretext of offering Umrah and visiting his ailing maternal Uncle from November 2, 20222. Since then, he didn’t turn up even after the 7 notices by NAB and inquiry which has been completed against him.”
To this effect, Secretary Establishment, Mr Inamullah Khan Dharejo issued the show cause notice which was published in the national newspapers on February 4, 2025 which is mandatory prior to his termination so that Mr Tahir Khurshid could read it and come back to face the charges. In the notice, Mr Khrurshid is bound to explain in 10 days’ time as to why one or more penalties including a penalty of dismissal from service should not be imposed upon you under rule 4(3) (e) of the rules ibid. Mr Khurshid has been asked in the notice that he is required to indicate in his reply if he wants to be heard in person.
As per the show cause notice appeared in the newspapers on February 4, 2025, it was brought to the notice of the Prime Minister, in capacity as Authority in terms of Rule 2(1) of Civil Servants (Efficiency and Disciplines) Rules, 2020, read with Rule 6 of the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules, 1973, that you, Mr. Tahir Khurshid (PAS/BS-21), committed acts of omission and commission constituting inefficiency and misconduct as defined in Rule 2(1)(h) and Rule 2(1)(k) of Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020;
Mr Kurshid… you were granted thirty (30) days leave (Ex-Pakistan) from November 02,2022 to December 1,2022 for performing Umrah and visiting your ailing maternal uncle.
“You were required to join back duty on December02, 2022 after- expiry of your leave period as per Rule 29 of the Revised Leave-Rules, 1980. However, despite attempts to reach you out to know your whereabouts via known methods of communication i.e. registered post, e-mail and WhatsApp on known addresses/cell number, you did not report back and unauthorizedely absented yourself from duty till date.
“You—Mr Khurshid were sent 07 x call up notices on 27.10.2022, 21.11.2022, 21.12.2022, 09.01.2023, 08.02.2023, 03.03.2023 and 12.04.2023 by NAB regarding inquiry against you as Ex-Secretary C&W Department Government of the Punjab on the allegations of misuse of authority by award of tenders to the favorite contractors, acceptance of kickbacks in transfer posting and subsequent accumulation of assets beyond means but you did not appear before the NAB.
Prime Minister appointed Syed Ali Murtaza (PAS/BS-22), Secretary, Ministry of Interior as Inquiry Officer in terms of Rule 9(1)(a) of the Rules ibid vide Inquiry Order of even number dated 17-07-2023 and charges were communicated to you vide Charge Sheet/Statement of Allegations of even number dated 17-07- 2023, which you refused to receive on your available addresses.
The Inquiry Officer has submitted the Inquiry Report on February 03,2024 wherein he has recorded that he issued Final Notice dated 02-01-2025 to you for submission of defense reply to the Charge Sheet/Statement of allegations through TCS, however, it has been received undelivered from both the addresses in Faisalabad and Lahore with the remarks that ‘Receiver shifted from delivery address’, and Recipient refused to accept respectively. The Inquiry Officer, while concluding the Inquiry ex-parte, has recorded that Charge No. 1 is proved against you. The Inquiry Officer has recommended therein that major penalty of “Compulsory Retirement”; may be imposed upon you in terms of under Rule 4(3) of the Rules ibid. Ends
