Government Removes Randhawa as City Chief over “Poor Performance”

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Government Removes Randhawa as City Chief over “Poor Performance”

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday removed Chief Commissioner Islamabad and Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) Muhammad Ali Randhawa over what officials described as unsatisfactory

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By Web Desk

Posted on: April 1, 2026

According to a notification issued by the Establishment Division, a Grade-20 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, Lt (retd) Sohail Ashraf, has been posted as the new Chief Commissioner Islamabad.

Sources said Mr Randhawa has been made an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and directed to report to the Establishment Division.

Mr Randhawa had been serving as Chief Commissioner Islamabad with the additional charge of CDA chairman since May 2024. Earlier, he was posted at the Prime Minister’s Office during the initial months of the Shehbaz Sharif-led PDM government before joining the team of Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who was then serving as caretaker chief minister of Punjab.

Over the course of his career, Mr Randhawa has held key positions in Gilgit-Baltistan, the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, and also served as deputy commissioner Rawalpindi.

Officials and sources familiar with CDA affairs said Mr Randhawa’s tenure remained under scrutiny, alleging that he prioritised large-scale development schemes over routine civic service delivery. They further claimed that several projects were initiated without following standard tendering procedures, with allegations of favouritism towards select contractors.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Chief Commissioner, Lt (retd) Sohail Ashraf, is expected to be given the additional charge of CDA chairman in line with past practice. He was most recently serving as Secretary Communications and Works Department, Punjab, where he worked closely with Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi during the caretaker setup.

Mr Ashraf has previously served as Commissioner Gujranwala, Director General Punjab Land Record Authority, and Director General Wildlife Punjab. He is also the son-in-law of former senior bureaucrat Chaudhry Maqbool Ahmed Dhawala, who has held several key positions in Punjab’s administration.