Prime Minister Urged to Expedite Bureaucrats' Promotions

Meetings of the High-Powered Selection Board (HPSB) and Central Selection Board (CSB) in Pakistan, crucial for the promotion of bureaucrats, have faced significant delays. The last HPSB meeting for grade-22 promotions was held 13 months ago, while the CSB meeting for grade-21 and -20 officers took place seven months ago. The previous HPSB meeting occurred in March 2023 during the Pakistan Democratic Movement regime, followed by the CSB meeting in August 2023.

Bureaucrats have expressed concerns over the prolonged gap in these board meetings, advocating for biannual sessions to review promotions. However, during the caretaker government, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) prevented the HPSB meeting for officials' promotions.

Officials are urging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene and expedite the promotion process by convening immediate meetings of the HPSB and CSB. The last HPSB meeting saw over 20 officers promoted to grade-22, while the interim government promoted 26 officers to grade-20 in August.

The CSB recommended promotions for various officers across different services, including PAS, Police Service of Pakistan, Foreign Service of Pakistan, Inter-Services Intelligence, Inland Revenue Service, and Pakistan Custom Service. However, 33 officers were not considered for promotion due to missing asset declaration forms.

In light of these delays, there is a growing call for swift action to address the backlog and ensure timely promotions for deserving bureaucrats.