CBS promoted 200 officers ‘superseding 150’

Senate panel told even those facing graft cases upgraded

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Thursday was informed that the Central Selection Board (CSB) had promoted 200 officers out of 400, again superseding 150. Even those facing corruption cases were promoted.

The meeting of the panel, presided over by its chairman Rana Maqbool Ahmed, was also told by Senator Dr Zarqa Taimur that the two officers -- involved in the case against Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa's wife -- were also promoted despite the court ordering action against them.

She added that the court had also ordered action against the incumbent Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) chief but he was appointed the chairman of the body.

The members demanded that the committee should be informed about those who had been promoted by the CBS as well as those who had not been.

The establishment secretary told the panel that it was a punishable offense for a civil servant to approach parliamentarians.

Also read: Bureaucrats await CSB meeting for promotions

“Civil servants cannot tell lawmakers about their service, promotion or transfer. We are fully committed to the decisions of the court,” he added.

“Those who are not promoted are informed about it in writing.”

Senator Kamil Ali Agha retorted that it was not a crime for civil servants to tell parliamentarians about their grievances.

“There is no case of discipline on this matter. Parliamentarians should be informed of how these promotions take place,” he added.

The establishment secretary told him that one of the major problems of the country was that the bureaucracy was being “politicised”.

Senator Waleed Iqbal repeated his question about the appointment of three chief secretaries despite not being from the Pakistan Administrator Service group.

“It should be mentioned under which law Faqir Muhammad Baloch, Pervez Saleem and Fazal Rehman were appointed chief secretaries,” he added.

Also read: PM links promotions to addressing public complaints

In addition, he said, the documents requested by the committee had not been submitted to it. The establishment secretary apologised for not submitting the documents.

The official told the panel that Faqir Muhammad Baloch was appointed a chief secretary because was eligible for the post.

Similarly, he added that Pervez Saleem was from Secretariat Group and served as the Quetta commissioner and he too was eligible for the position.

However, the official told the committee that Fazal Rehman was an officer of the Pakistan Audit and Accounts and was appointed a chief secretary even though he was not eligible.

To Senator Sadia Abbasi’s query, the establishment secretary said that according to law, a civil servant could be posted anywhere in the country.