M. Waqar Bhatti
Islamabad: The Establishment Division has informed the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination that Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia, currently serving as District Health Officer (DHO) Islamabad, cannot be granted any further extension on deputation under the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion, and Transfer) Rules, 1973.
Officials in the health ministry told Vitals News that the Establishment Division cited relevant rules that mandate a deputed officer must be repatriated to their parent department for at least one year before being eligible for deputation again.
Dr. Zaeem Zia has been serving in his current role since February 2020, which exceeds the standard deputation tenure, necessitating his repatriation to the Gilgit-Baltistan Health Department.
Dr. Zaeem was initially transferred from Gilgit-Baltistan as deputy director in the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination on deputation basis and posted as DHO Islamabad by the health ministry.
According to ministry officials, the DHO Islamabad position is a promotion-based post, and qualified officers from within the District Health Office should ideally be promoted to this role when it becomes vacant. However, Dr. Zaeem’s appointment was made on deputation, allegedly due to political pressure from certain quarters.
The officials added that owing to these pressures, the health ministry had written to the Establishment Division to explore the possibility of extending Dr. Zaeem’s deputation. However, the Establishment Division turned down the request, stating it was not permissible under the rules.
During his tenure as DHO Islamabad, Dr. Zaeem Zia played a pivotal role in leading the COVID-19 pandemic response in the capital. He supervised critical activities under the District Health Office, including the Expanded Program on Immunization, dengue control efforts, drug licensing and regulation, procurement, administration, development projects, and the Universal Health Coverage Unit.
Prior to his posting in Islamabad, Dr. Zaeem served as District Health Officer for Hunza and Nagar districts in Gilgit-Baltistan from January 2019 to January 2020. His extensive experience and leadership during public health emergencies have been recognized within the health sector.
Despite these achievements, ministry officials believe that following the rules governing deputation is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the civil service.
With the Establishment Division’s decision, the health ministry will now have to proceed with appointing a new DHO for Islamabad, either by promoting an eligible officer from within the District Health Office or through other mechanisms as per the rules.
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