Doctors fear promotion delays as lists stall

Hundreds of doctors across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa are once again facing the prospect of missing their long-awaited promotions this December, as the Health Directorate and the Health Secretariat have failed to finalize seniority lists for 2025. The delay, now stretching into its second year, has sparked frustration and concern among doctors across all cadres.

According to official sources, seniority lists for General Cadre, Management Cadre, Dental Surgeons, and District Specialists have yet to be issued, even though the current year is nearing its end. Under government rules, these lists are supposed to be notified every January by the Establishment Department. Without them, promotion cases cannot be processed, leaving thousands of doctors in limbo.

The General Cadre's Grade-17 seniority list, which had been sent back by the Establishment Department due to several objections, has now been revised by the Directorate General (DG) Health and resubmitted for approval. Officials hope the updated list will be cleared soon so that promotion working papers can be prepared.

For promotions from Grade-18 to Grade-19, objections raised by certain doctors have been forwarded to the Secretary of Health and are expected to be returned to DG Health next week for resolution. Meanwhile, the seniority list for promotions from Grade-19 to Grade-20 in the General Cadre has already been approved by the Establishment Department, and preparation of working papers is now underway.

In the Management Cadre, the Grade-19 to Grade-20 list is still under review due to pending objections. The District Specialist Cadre is also under scrutiny to address anomalies in their service structure before promotion cases are finalized. Dental Surgeons, facing administrative hurdles due to a separate section in DG Health, have requested integration into the main ACR section to streamline their promotion process.