The Ministry of Railways’ decision to grant the Rawalpindi Divisional Superintendent (DS) additional charge of the Lahore DS office for a brief three-day period (October 20–22) has sparked controversy and raised suspicions of favouritism. The move, taken despite the availability of senior officers in Lahore, is being viewed within the department as an attempt to “facilitate” certain individuals in securing lucrative leases for railway properties during upcoming auctions, according to Dawn.

The arrangement was made after Lahore DS Inam Ullah proceeded on ex-Pakistan leave, approved on October 17 alongside a No Objection Certificate (NOC). In his absence, the ministry directed that Rawalpindi DS assume additional duties in Lahore, even though the two divisions are separated by nearly 300 kilometres. This unusual decision, officials say, departs from long-standing administrative practice, where temporary charge is normally assigned to the next senior officer stationed within the same division.

An official, speaking anonymously, described the move as “unprecedented” and questioned the ministry’s motives. “This has never happened before. Even for a few days, the look-after charge is always given to the next in line locally,” the source remarked. “Assigning it to someone based so far away clearly suggests the ministry’s desire to ensure certain outcomes through an officer trusted by them. It gives the impression that Lahore’s officers are not trusted even for a three-day period.”

The timing of the decision has drawn further scrutiny because it coincides with the rescheduled auctions of several valuable railway properties in Lahore. Following an earlier advertisement published on August 28, a corrigendum was issued announcing that the auctions would take place from October 20 to 22 at the Lahore DS office. The properties include high-revenue assets such as godowns, shops, and parking stands located in prime areas like Badami Bagh, Sher Shah Road, and Gari Shahu.

Among the properties listed are four godowns on Sher Shah Road, a parking stand at the truck adda, another near Level Crossing No. 4, several shops in the SDR shopping centre, a restaurant near Badami Bagh, and two bays beneath the Gari Shahu bridge. Each property is estimated to generate millions of rupees in annual revenue, making the auctions highly competitive.

Officials believe that transferring temporary control of the Lahore DS office to the Rawalpindi officer at this precise moment may allow “favoured” individuals to secure these assets on lease for five years or longer. “The timing is too convenient to ignore,” said one source. “It appears orchestrated to ensure certain outcomes in the auctions.”

Critics within the department argue that Lahore has capable senior officers who could have easily been assigned the temporary role. “If the ministry truly lacked confidence in Lahore’s senior officers, they could have appointed the DS from the PR Workshop Division or someone at headquarters,” an official noted, adding that bypassing all local officers “reflects an intent beyond administrative convenience.”

When approached for comment, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi claimed ignorance of the matter. “I really don’t know about this, but I will check since your point seems logical,” he told Dawn. He, however, dismissed allegations of favouritism, insisting that “everything in the railways operates on merit.