Promotions of seven officials challenged

Petitioners allege that the promotions are based on favouritism.

ISLAMABAD:

Islamabad High Court (IHC) gave the Establishment Division Secretary two weeks to respond to allegations of unfair promotions.

IHC also issued notices to Central Selection Board (CSB) chairperson, Rector National School of Public Policy and the seven District Management Group (DMG) officials who were promoted.

Two government officials filed a writ petition with IHC on Thursday alleging that seven high-level officials (from grade 19 to 20) of the DMG were promoted “unfairly” by the establishment division.

The petitioners’ counsel, Barrister Zafarullah Khan, told the court that 131 candidates cleared the senior management course from National School of Public Policy, which is the requirement for promotion from grade 19 to 20.

However, seven of these officials were given promotions after they arranged letters from the establishment division. He said that his two clients, Khan and Hayat, along with 124 other candidates who also cleared the senior management course and met the criteria for promotion, were not even considered by the establishment division.

He said that these promotions are in violation of the constitution and are “based on favouritism by a particular group to safeguard vested interests”.

He pleaded the court to declare these promotions null and void, and direct the Establishment Division Secretary and the CSB Chairperson to consider all prospective candidates and award promotions on merit and as per rules.

Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan of the IHC issued notices to the seven DMG officials, Shahid Ashraf Tarar, Muhammad Ali Shahzada ,Ishrat Ali, Ali Sher Mahsud , Ambreen Raza, Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani and Ahsan Ali Mangi, along with the Establishment Division Secretary Abur Rauf Chaudhry, Central Selection Board chairperson and Rector National School of Public Policy, asking them to respond within two weeks.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2011.