In third world countries, the lack of good governance and
accountability are considered as main reasons for poverty and economic
deprivation. Each and every developing country try its level best to ensure
transparency and rule of law in all fields of life to improve the living
standards of its citizens. But at the same time it’s a harsh reality that
different criminal elements have evolved into Organised criminal groups for
their evil designs at the cost of public interest. In Pakistan there are very
few government officers who are considered honest and upright. Even if honest
very few can claim public faith and trust in their actions. Mr Riaz Khan Mehsud
is one such officer who is well known for his honesty, straight forwardness and
upright way of performing his duties. Being a man with a proactive approach his
entire career shows innovative ideas on his part in order to serve the masses.
After being posted a commissioner Malakand, he again embarked upon the way of
purging the departments under his command from all corrupt and incompetent
personnel. Malakand division especially Swat is blessed with huge natural
resources including the great forest land yet this heaven on earth is threatened
by timber mafia. Mr RiazMehsud immediately started taking stern action against
those government officials who were in collusion with timber mafia. This created
a havoc among their ranks. Another daunting task was how to prevent the river
swat from illegal encroachments. Under his directions a survey was initiated
which revealed that almost 99 hotels and restaurants have been illegally
constructed on the bank of river swat causing extreme water pollution. Being a
visionary man with a deep sense of environmental protection and climate change,
Mr RiazMehsud started preparations for launching a grand operation against all
such illegal hotels and restaurants under the powers granted upon his office
vide KP River protection act. But sadly this champion of good governance has
been shown the exit door. All of sudden he has been prematurely transferred to
Hazara Division. This decision has come as a shock for the people of Malakand as
they were in love with his pro-people actions. The public sentiment is that they
have been callously let down by the present regime whose main slogan was
ensuring rule of law and merit. How can a person be transferred who for the
first time in the history of this region was trying his level best to save our
forests. Who was more concerned about urban flooding. Who had a deep
understanding what air and water pollution can damage our natural resources. He
had a clear understanding of the problem. River swat had around 28 types of fish
which are reduced to only 4 or 5 now thanks to the illegal drainage system of
these hotels and restaurants. They are throwing their waste and garbage directly
into river which has adversely affected climate. This hotel mafia is so strong
that almost 90 per cent of the owners even don't belong to swat. But they have
succeeded in erecting hotels and restaurants with a net worth starting from 250
million to even one billion. The hotel and timber mafia were helpless before
this son of the soil. Mr Riaz was striving hard to implement the vision of Green
Pakistan in letter and spirit. He is a staunch admirer of Pro environment
projects like Billion Tree Tsunami. Needless to say that this happened when the
KP province is headed by another upright officer Mr worthyKazimNiaz as its chief
secretary. The people of Malakand especially youth, intelligentsia, political
activists and social workers are feeling betrayed by the government for removing
such a legendary officer. If this decision is revisited then it will prove to
be.