Bureaucrats prefer serving in Punjab
The country’s most populous province apart from its population woes also struggles with an influx of civil and police bureaucracy officers who prefer serving in Punjab due to the perks which are unheard of in other provinces.
According to documents obtained by The Express Tribune, Punjab currently has more than 2,600 officers of the Police Service of Pakistan, Pakistan Administrative Service, Punjab Police (Rankers), and Provincial Management Service (Punjab). documents reveal that the number of officers is roughly 50% more than in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Former federal secretary establishment, Ismail Qureshi, when asked about the influx of officers coming to Punjab informed that the quotas of civil and police officers are highest in Punjab.
Part of the reason why the number of officers has grown, as per Qureshi, is that while in the past, the will of the federation was followed, now the provinces themselves “solicit officers by asking for them by name.”
According to the records obtained by The Express Tribune, the number of officers of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) and Provincial Management Service (PMS), alone, from Grade 17 to Grade 22 in Punjab at present is around 1,400. According to the records obtained, there are two officers of Grade 22; 24 of Grade 21; 99 of Grade 20; 230 of Grade 19; 410 of Grade 18 and about 700 of Grade 17 in Punjab. On top of that, the number of Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) officers of Grade 21 is 18; of Grade 20 is 43; of Grade 19 is 83; of Grade 18 is 185; of Grade 17 is 65 and of Grade 17 in Punjab Police (Rankers) is 750.
Another reason for the upsurge, is Lahore’s colorful life as per former chief secretary Punjab, Javed Mahmood. “Civil and police officers in government service have a different passion for coming to Punjab. Lahore’s life, the Gymkhana Club, and spacious residences in GOR are the focus of attention of new officers,” Mahmood said.
Former IG Punjab Police, Ahmed Naseem, concurring with Mahmood’s assessment, added, “Police officers come to Punjab to increase their exposure. Punjab has better facilities for police officers than other provinces. Compared to Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, officers in Punjab get luxury vehicles and good accommodation.” Such is the pull of a Punjab appointment that DIG Police Abdul Salam Sheikh, who is currently at the disposal of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), while talking to The Express Tribune, stated: “I served in Punjab for 3 years and was later transferred to Sindh. The charm of service in Punjab is just different. I have long wanted to be posted in Lahore and if the opportunity comes along I would definitely go back.”
Another officer presently serving in Punjab, speaking on the condition of anonymity, termed the resources the province has to offer as better than other provinces. The officer was of the view that the pleasure of serving in Punjab was one of the reasons why the federal government had formulated a rotating policy to prevent officers overstaying in the province. “An officer posted in Punjab gets better and bigger houses, luxury cars and protocol, which is more than other provinces. So it is not shocking that a Punjab posting is the preference for bureaucrats who have just started serving or have been serving,” said Additional DG FIA Monitoring, Dr Salman Sultan Rana, while talking to The Express Tribune.