Top bureaucrats victim of ad hocism

ISLAMABAD: The federal bureaucracy is suffering from ad hocism at the highest level. A meeting of the high-power Selection Board has not been convened despite the passage of 22 months due to which almost two seats more than 40 posts of grade 22 are vacant.

As per the promotion policy, the Selection Board should hold two meetings in a year. Thirteen posts of grade 22 of Pakistan Administrative Service, five posts of police cadre, four posts of Secretariat Group and one post of Information Group are vacant. After the unavailability of grade 22 officers, grade 21 officers of the promotion zone have been posted on temporary charge of grade 22 posts, however, due to non-availability of regular promotion, there is frustration and anxiety among senior grade 21 officers.

The federal secretary is a grade 22 post, but at present only 21 out of 41 ministries have grade 22 officers as secretaries. The posts of secretaries of five ministries are vacant and their additional charge has been given to other secretaries. Senior officers of grade 21 are appointed to 12 posts, while contract officers are appointed to four posts. The reason for not having a secretary in grade 22 is that no officer has been promoted to grade 22 after February 2023 because the meeting of the Selection Board has not been held.

According to the Establishment Division, federal secretaries of grade 22 include Secretary Cabinet Division Kamran Ali Afzal, Secretary Establishment Division Inamullah Dharijo, Commerce Secretary Jawad Pal, Secretary Economic Affairs Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary Climate Change Ayesha Humaira Chaudhry, Secretary Finance Division Imdadullah Bosal, Secretary Housing Dr. Shehzad Bangash, Secretary Human Rights Allah Dino Khawaja, Secretary Industry and Production Saif Anjum, Interior Secretary Khurram Agha, Inter-provincial Coordination Secretary Dr. Nadeem Irshad Kayani, Naval Affairs Secretary Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary National Heritage and Culture Hasan Nasir Jami, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Division Dr. Arshad Mahmood, Secretary Parliamentary Affairs, Hamir Ahmed, Secretary Planning and Development Owais Manzoor Samra, Secretary Poverty Alleviation Naveed Ahmed Sheikh, Secretary Power Division Dr. Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan, Secretary Religious Affairs Zulfiqar Haider, Secretary Safron Zafar Hassan and Secretary Water Resources Sid Ali Murtaza.

The posts of secretaries of four ministries are vacant. The post of anti-narcotics secretary is vacant and the charge has been given to Interior Secretary Khurram Agha. The post of Secretary National Security Division is vacant and the additional charge has been given to Power Division Secretary Dr. Mir Alam Nomani. The post of Secretary Privatization Division is vacant and its charge has been given to Commerce Secretary Jawad Pal. The charge of Secretary Revenue Division has been given to FBR Chairman Rashid Langriyal. There is a vacant post of Secretary Communications, the charge of which has been given to Special Secretary Ali Sher Mehsud.

Four secretaries have been appointed on contract. Secretary IT Zarar Hashim Khan and Secretary Law Raja Naeem Akbar are posted on contract. Secretary Defence Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Ali and Secretary Defence Production Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Chirag Haider have also been posted on contract. Among grade 21 officers are Secretary Prime Minister’s Office Asad-ul-Rehman Gilani, Secretary Aviation Ahsan Ali Mangi, Secretary Climate Change Division Ayesha Humaira Chaudhry, Education Secretary Muhyiddin Wani, Information Secretary Ambreen Jan, Secretary Kashmir Affairs Wasim Ajmal Chaudhry, Secretary Food Security Ali Tahir, Secretary Health Nadeem Mehboob, Secretary Petroleum Momin Agha, Secretary Railway Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, Secretary Science and Technology Sajid Baloch and Secretary Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) Jameel Ahmed Qureshi.

Officials of the Establishment Division are of the view that the homework for the Selection Board is complete. It is chaired by the Prime Minister himself and the holding of the meeting depends on his engagement and consent, they added.