ISLAMABAD: The federal government has handed Petroleum Division Secretary Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh the additional charge of Secretary Water Resources Division, following the removal of Syed Ali Murtaza from the post, according to an Establishment Division notification reported on Tuesday.
Syed Ali Murtaza has been directed to report to the Establishment Division as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Sheikh, already heading the Petroleum Division, will now look after the Water Resources Division for three months or until a regular secretary is appointed, whichever comes first.
The move is part of a broader reshuffle in the federal bureaucracy. Officials described the arrangement as an interim step meant to keep the division’s administrative work running without disruption. In plain terms, the government did not want a key ministry dealing with water policy, inter-provincial coordination and treaty-related matters to sit leaderless even for a short spell.
Sheikh is not new to high-pressure assignments. A BS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, he was appointed Secretary Petroleum Division in March 2026 after serving as Secretary National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Division. The Establishment Division’s earlier notification had posted him to the Petroleum Division “with immediate effect and until further orders.”
His profile shows a long career across federal and provincial governments, including past roles linked to finance, planning, health, housing and policy reforms. OGDCL’s official profile lists him as a 1992-batch PAS officer with more than 33 years of experience, including service as Federal Finance Secretary, Secretary National Health Services, Secretary Housing, Secretary Planning, and senior positions in Punjab.
The additional charge comes at a sensitive time for Pakistan’s water bureaucracy. The Water Resources Division has been closely involved in matters linked to the Indus Waters Treaty, especially after India’s decision in 2025 to hold the treaty in abeyance. Earlier this year, Pakistan’s Water Resources Ministry publicly condemned India’s unilateral move, calling it legally baseless and a threat to regional peace and water security.
The timing is awkward, frankly. Just days ago, the Indus water dispute again drew attention after the Court of Arbitration issued a decision on water storage limits, which Pakistan welcomed and India rejected. That means the incoming acting secretary will be stepping into a division where paperwork is not just paperwork; it sits at the center of a difficult diplomatic and legal fight.
There was no immediate public statement from Sheikh on the additional assignment. A regular appointment to the Water Resources Division is expected later, unless the government extends the arrangement or names a permanent secretary before the three-month period ends.
