A summary for removal of Utility Stores Corporation (USC) Managing Director Khaqan Murtaza has been rejected by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on technical grounds, allowing the ‘beleaguered’ bureaucrat to continue his work in the face of uncongenial environment in his own department, sources said here on Sunday.

The official sources said the summary contained various allegations against the USC managing director, including non-conforming attitude, administrative irregularities and favouritism, but its rejection by the prime minister was really a shock for the federal minister who allegedly wanted his removal the day he took charge on August 20.

Sources said now the government has decided to put an end to this ‘clash’ on permanent basis by bifurcating the ministry into two parts and USC would be placed into the other one that is likely to be headed by a senator.

They said the minister had also formally informed the prime minister in the recent past about allegedly ‘non-conforming’ attitude of USC MD Khaqan Murtaza and stated that some high-ups in the PM Secretariat have been extending undue support to him.

A senior official claimed that the USC MD was also barred from entering into his office a couple of days back but “the retaliation from the staff members foiled this attempt.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the USC has opened new outlets, increasing the number to 6,015 from the previous 5,800 throughout the country, including the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

USC MD Khaqan Murtaza told this scribe that he was informed by the high-ups about rejection of the summary sent to the prime minister for his removal but still he wants to work with the minister for betterment of the department.

“I am a civil servant and I have no personal grudges against any person. I just want to follow rules and perform my duties in line with the rules and procedures,” he said.

He said, “I took charge on August 20 this year and from then onwards sales of USC have been witnessing new heights. Despite the fact that supply of sugar is not up to the mark for last few months, we are still showing more sales.”

Referring to the sales record, he said the sales in September amounted to Rs5.51 billion as compared to Rs3.9 billion to the corresponding period of last year; in October Rs6.1 billion as compared to Rs5.8 billion; in November Rs5.3 billion as compared to Rs4.3 billion; and in December Rs5.2 billion as compared to Rs4.9 billion in the same month last year.

He said with over 4,000 non-food articles, USC offers one of the largest assortment of non-food articles under one roof in Pakistan with detailed attention paid to quality, guarantees and after-sales service.