One day, when I came to Divisional office, I was handed over my transfer order to C&W Division Chitral, replacing Sarfaraz who was transferred to some other station. Before this I was contacted by Mr.X to give up my obstinacy and follow the co-existence parameters of his choice. I refused to succumb to his desires. I was shocked to be treated in this way. Instead of encouraging me and all others fighting against malpractices, I was transferred to an area, considered as a punitive stations in the Department. No doubt, it was a paradise for those who wanted to make money. We have seen ordinary clerks serving there having their own cars.
I attempted to get the order cancelled but failed. My grandson Mansoor was then three years old and I could not even think of to be away from him for a single day. I had no alternative but to comply with the orders and so boarded the Chitral bound flight from Saidu Sharif Airport. Those days one side air ticket was Rs.240. I landed at Chitral Airport after 45 minutes of flight, went to Divisional office and submitted arrival report to the Head Clerk.The Xen had gone to Peshawar a day before.
A room in Denin Rest house was reserved for me for a week by SDO Jalal Khan, the best officer in all the Province in C&E Department. After evening meals, I went to my room and was about to get into bed when I heard a knock at the door. I opened it and saw Mr.Jalal, looking some what embarrassed. He said he was very sorry but could not help it. A delegation from Tajikistan just arrived and they are to be adjusted in all the rest houses. He had made arrangement for my stay at Hotel Dreamland for a week. Payment were already made by him. I accompanied to the Hotel. It was more comfortable than the rest house at Denin.
Next morning I went to the office. The XEN had returned from Peshawar. He was not a sranger for me. He had been my officer in Swat and was always on bad terms with me. His Name was Sadiq Khan from Charsada, a headstrong arrogant Khan by nature. He called me to his office and said,”its a surprise to see you here. I have a serious problem at Booni Sub Division. Take the jeep from the SDO, in your charge. I am fed up from his inefficiency. I authorize you to use the powers of SDO, on my behalf.The first problem is the Booni College.Tackle at the way you like.”
Now I knew why he was so cordial. Booni College at that time was a hot topic in the Department as well as in the press. The SDO was an old ranker due to retirement in a year or so. I requested the Xen to exempt me from this generous offer. Annoyed by my refusal, he ordered my posting in the Drawing Branch. Mean while he did not relieved Mr.Sarfaraz also, because he was the best sub engineer and no officer could afford to loose him.
I remembered that I had two Citralis class fellows in Jahanzeb College. I asked a local clerk in the office. He told me that Abdullah is a known political worker of PPP and most of the shops in Krupresht Bazar belonged to him. Azizullah was a Superintendent in District Account office Chitral. So I went one evening to meet Abdullah. He had a big house and hujra above the Bazaar, near the half burnt Jumaathkhana of the Ismailees. He received me warmly and we have a long hour talk, remembering the old days. He stressed to contact him whenever I needed his help. The next day,I went to see Azizullah in DAO Office, Chitral. He was overjoyed to see me. He was a great help in dealing with my service documents and when I succeeded in my transfer, he quickly disposed my papers.
I asked my son-in-law, Zahoor Ahmad Khan to use his good offices in making my re-transfer to Swat possible. He had very friendly relations with higher ups in the Bureaucracy. But that MPA who patronized Mr.X was a great obstacle. Meanwhile, I vacated the accommodation provided to me in the Bachelor Hostel for employees at Denin and lived with three Swati teachers who lived in a room of the Commerce College. They were Ziauddin from Saidu, Abdul Azim from Ghalegay and one from Gogdara whose name I miss now.
After spending a week with them, I decided to leave Chitral without permission of my XEN and try myself for the transfer.I vowed never to return without obtaining my transfer orders. I went to Peshawar, this time with recommendation of a Secretary of the Provincial Assembly. I met my Chief Engineer in person.He knew me before hand as he had been my XEN in Swat. He asked me what I had done to aggravate the MPA, that Secretary C&W was not ready to hear your name even. Any how, he issued my orders for posting in Buner. I grabbed the orders and went the next day to Chitral. I submitted my departure report. Azizullah prepared my documents on the same day. It was November 1993, the first snow started and I and the three Swati teached left Chitral in an open Pickup with our baggage and started our journey via Lowari. We were lucky enough to cross the Lowari Pass before it was closed for months.
After a day rest I went to Daggar and submitted my arrival report to the XEN, C&W Buner which was now a full fledged District. But there was no vacant post in Buner. The XEN informed the Chief Engineer accordingly. He advised that I must be adjusted by making local arrangement. So my second spell in Buner started.
Comment here