Says it was an honour to serve public
Zubair Qureshi
Enjoying the repute of a public-friendly officer, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, Hamza Shafqaat has been transferred and is replaced by Irfan Nawaz, another Grade-19 officer of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), with immediate effect.
A Grade-19 officer of PAS, Hamza Shafqaat joined Islamabad Capital Administration as Deputy Commissioner on July 19, 2018, and served this key position in the capital city for four years.
Hamza Shafqaat will be remembered for many public-friendly initiatives particularly, round the clock duty during the pandemic.
His transfer is particularly a blow to media persons as he was accessible to media 24/7 updating them about the latest coronavirus situation in the federal capital. It also goes to his and the district health team’s credit that today more than 78pc eligible population of Islamabad is vaccinated and thus saved from the virus.
While talking to Pakistan Observer, Hamza Shafqaat said it was an honour to serve the people of Islamabad.
About his next posting, he said he had been asked to report to the Establishment Division and hopefully would get the new posting by Thursday.
Besides fight against coronavirus, Hamza Shfqaat was also instrumental in keeping Islamabad plastic-free.
Moreover, he also got the government land freed from property mafia.
His support to volunteers like street singers, golden man of Islamabad, Mohammad Ehsaan climate change and animals rights activists also raised his public image.Hamza Shafqaat’s successor Irfan Nawaz Memen has been serving as DC Quetta since 2020. Earlier he served the Punjab government (January 2019 to November 2020) before joining the federal capital as DC.
One can also remember many a cleanliness drive over Margalla Hills under his leadership showing his resolve to clean Islamabad and keep its clean and gree character intact.
Establishment Division has issued separate notifications of transfer of outgoing DC Islamabad, Hamza Shafqaat, and appointment of Irfan Nawaz. The notifica tion directed the outgoing deputy commissioner to report to the Establishment Division with immediate effect.
