Strong-armed: Merit remains non-existent in secretariat appointments

Superintendents given preference over private secretaries with regard to promotions.

PESHAWAR:

Official promotions are carried out sans rules in Civil Secretariat, The Express Tribune learnt on Wednesday.

The 2007 Provincial Management Rules (PMS) are not implemented in letter and spirit at the cost of discriminating against the promotion of the private secretary (PS) cadre, claimed sources in the secretariat.

The Provincial Selection Board (PSB), a legal body in the Civil Secretariat which takes decisions regarding official promotions, has swept over PMS rules while the ‘immediate effect’ notification – meant to do away with rivalry between PSs and superintendents – has been suspended.

“The notification was made to end rivalry and solve the issues for the government’s convenience,” said an official. “But now PS personnel are left alone while superintendents are given promotions.”

According to the notification, which was issued on October 10, 2012, promotions for future vacancies would be made on a three-is-to-two ratio between superintendents and PS personnel, respectively.



The PMS were also reportedly violated on February 28, 2013 when the PSB made nine superintendents section officers. PS personnel, who should have been given three seats according to the formula, were awarded no promotion.

Moreover, during a PSB meeting held on 15th May, 2013, seven superintendents were promoted from basic pay scale (BPS)-16 to BPS-17. Once again, not a single PS was considered for promotion.

On May 21, 2013, the PSB dropped from its agenda the names of 14 PS personnel who were being considered for promotions.

According to PMS rules, a method has been prescribed for recruitments for PMS posts (BS-17). According to this method, 50% of inductions should be made by initial recruitment through the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Service Commission, 20% from among tehsildars, while 10% of inductions should be reserved for in-service employees and 20% should be set aside for superintendents and private secretaries.

“It needs to be ascertained why mala fide intentions are followed time and again at the cost PS personnel promotions,” said another official. Terming the decisions of the PSB a growing cause for frustration, the official pinned his hopes on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government to ‘interfere’ in the matter.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.