PM chairs meeting to promote officials from Grade-21 to 22

ISLAMABAD: The government has initiated the process of promotion for federal government’s Grade-21 officers to Grade-22 as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired the first meeting of the High Powered Selection Board (HPSB) on Thursday where recommendations for three groups were discussed. The final meeting will take place today.

New lists of officers promoted to the highest grade would be ready after the meeting.

The former PTI government had not held the meeting of the board for about three years due to non-availability of the prime minister. Many officers were deprived of their promotion and attained superannuation.

Sources pointed out that the present HPSB huddle is the second meeting in less than a year under the incumbent government.

The previous meeting took place in May last year when some officers secured promotion to Grade-22, including Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Syed Tauqeer Hussain Shah, Secretary Finance Hamid Yaqoob Shiekh, Special Secretary Cabinet Division Aizaz Aslam Dar, Special Secretary at PM Office Sara Saeed, KP Chief Secretary Imdadullah Bosal and others.

The sources indicated that Additional Secretary Information Technology and Telecommunication Ayesha Moriani, Additional Secretary Incharge IT & T Mohsin Chandna, Additional Secretary Cabinet Division Hamad Shamimi, Additional Secretary In-charge Petroleum Division Capt (retd) Muhammad Mahmood, Additional Secretary In-charge Power Division Rashid Mahmood Langrial, National Highways Authority (NHA) Chairman Momin Agha, Punjab Chief Secretary Muhammad Abdullah Khan Sumbal, Gilgat-Baltistan (GB) Chief Secretary Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, Muhammad Mujtaba Piracha are being considered for elevation to Grade-22 in the ongoing board.

The sources said the government had earlier promoted more than 350 officers of Grade-20.