Finally promoted! After a long wait, police officials move onto next rank

Around 847 ASIs were promoted while another 3,000 officials will be promoted soon.

The first major episode was witnessed in June 2011 when more than 1,300 officials, ranging from police constables to inspectors, who had been promoted to the next respective ranks under Article 236/2010, were demoted to their former ranks after the IGP at the time, Fayyaz Leghari, withdrew their promotions on court directives. PHOTO: FILE.

KARACHI:
After a series of episodes of demotions of officials of the Sindh police department on the court’s directives in the past few months, there was finally some good news for the personnel as the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) decided to promote around 847 officials. A notification in this regard is likely to be issued today.

The Sindh police department itself had become a catastrophe for its employees since the series of demoting police personnel, to their respective lower ranks, started in 2011. The demotions had affected thousands of policemen ranging from officials of lower ranks to Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs).



The first major episode was witnessed in June 2011 when more than 1,300 officials, ranging from police constables to inspectors, who had been promoted to the next respective ranks under Article 236/2010, were demoted to their former ranks after the IGP at the time, Fayyaz Leghari, withdrew their promotions on court directives.

The last DPC was held at Central Police Office (CPO) in April 2013 in which as many as 453 police constables were promoted to head constables. This time, a meeting of the DPC was presided over by Karachi additional IG, Ghulam Qadir Thebu, and and was attended by the Sindh police administration chief, DIG Bashir Memon, and Headquarters DIG, Sanaullah Abbasi.

It was held in the meeting that the promotion of these personnel had been long overdue. After the completion of the first phase of the promotions of ASI, another meeting of the DPC will soon be convened for the promotion of constables and head constables.

Seniority first

Police sources told The Express Tribune that the DPC kept in mind the court orders that the promotions should be given on seniority basis according to the date of appointment. The criteria for the promotions also required the official to be honest, punctual, must have no prior criminal records and must pass all the necessary police courses.


“We promoted them following the court’s directives,” said DIG administration, Bashir Memon, while talking to The Express Tribune. “They deserve these promotions as some have been serving in the department for more than 26 years.”



Sources pointed out that there were around 1,800 to 2,000 constables who were also likely to be promoted to the rank of head constables and around 1,200 to 1,500 head constables who were likely to be promoted to the next rank - ASI. A member of the DPC told The Express Tribune that the promotion decisions had almost been processed and orders would be issued in less than a week.

Long wait

The policemen who received the promotions were recruited in the police department in 1986-87 and were awaiting these promotions since 1995-96. The promoted personnel expressed sincere joy and gratitude over the decision of their high-ups. “I am happy to have finally achieved it,” said a newly promoted senior policeman, Saleem, who is likely to retire soon. “If the department had accorded me timely promotion, I would have retired at inspector rank - however, I am still grateful to them for according me the SI rank before retirement.”

A group of 600 ASIs, however, who had joined the police forces thorough a public service commission (PSC) in 2002-03 expressed reservations over the recent promotions and demanded of the DPC to promote them, too.

“What have we done wrong? We should also be promoted,” said an unhappy police officer, on the condition of anonymity. “In the past, several policemen were promoted on the basis of police courses and others, but in our turn, the rules have been changed.”

DIG Memon, however, assured that these police officers would also be promoted within the six months as there were vacant posts of the SI rank and more jobs would be created after retirement of these newly promoted ASIs. “They should not be worried,” said DIG Memon. “There are jobs and they will also be promoted soon.”

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29th, 2013.
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