GUJRAT: Following its notification as the new division by the provincial government, the uncertainty surrounding Gujrat’s destiny as Punjab’s tenth administrative division has subsided.
According to official sources, the Board of Revenue (BoR) released a new notification on December 18th about Punjab’s tehsils, districts, and divisions.
Despite opposition from some local lawmakers and the Hafizabad district’s civil society, the announcement states that Wazirabad and Hafizabad districts will continue to be a part of the Gujrat division.
According to the sources, certain officers and politicians were working to keep both districts within the Gujranwala division.
Officials anticipate that the new division will receive the necessary funding and offices.
They claim that the notification maintains the divisions, tehsils, and districts established by former chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi during his second term (July 2022–January 2023).
On August 17, 2022, Mr. Elahi announced that Gujrat would become the tenth administrative division of Punjab. Following the split of Gujrat tehsil, the cities of Kunjah and Jalalpur Jattan were also designated as new tehsils.
During Mr. Elahi’s term, Wazirabad tehsil of Gujranwala district was promoted as a new district, with Wazirabad and Ali Pur Chatha as its tehsils.
On February 16, 2023, however, the Gujrat division was de-notified by the administration of interim Punjab chief minister Mohsin Naqvi. This decision was contested in the Lahore High Court (LHC) by Noman Akbar Warraich, a close aide of PTI politician Moonis Elahi.
By halting the Punjab government’s February 21, 2023, notification, the LHC reinstated Gujrat as a division.
However, the provincial government removed the first commissioner, regional police officer (RPO), and other administrative officers from the Gujrat division, effectively rendering it dysfunctional. Gujranwala officers in the same positions were given acting responsibility for the Gujrat commissioner and RPO’s duties. The arrangement remains in place.
While the district administration supplied the staff, at least two more commissioners were still assigned to the Gujrat division, but they were forced to operate without a budget.
According to a senior administrative officer who spoke to Dawn, the Gujrat division is anticipated to receive the necessary funding and regular officers following the publication of the new notification for at least 156 tehsils, 41 districts, and 10 divisions in Punjab.
In order to prevent any legal issues with the court work, etc., Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Safdar Virk stated that he had written to the relevant authorities to transfer the additional responsibility of assistant commissioners (ACs) of Kunjah and Jalalpur Jattan tehsils to Gujrat AC Bilal Zubair until regular incumbents are appointed.
Previously, while Parvez Elahi was CM, the Gujrat AC retained the additional responsibility of the new tehsils.
In accordance with Punjab government policy, Gujrat Municipal Corporation administrator Naveed Haider Sheerazi was also appointed Gujranwala Commissioner.
