Bureaucratic Injustice: A Call for Fairness in Pakistan’s Promotion System.

Bureaucratic Injustice: A Call for Fairness in Pakistan’s Promotion System.

By M.Ilyas Mullakhel

Islam Abad – After a prolonged two-year wait, the High-Power Board and Central Selection Board (CSB) have finally convened, breaking a period of uncertainty that left countless officers in limbo. Many officers, who had dedicated their careers to serving the nation, retired without ever receiving their long-awaited promotions. While injustices against Provincial Management Service (PMS) officers have long been a matter of contention, this time, even high-ranking officers from the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), and other Civil Service of Pakistan (CSP) cadres have been unfairly targeted. What was meant to be a moment of career advancement for deserving officers turned into a festival of disappointment—ironically taking place on Holi, a day traditionally associated with joy and celebration. Despite successfully completing the required promotion training courses and securing “Recommended for Promotion” remarks in their Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs), numerous officers found themselves inexplicably sidelined. The rationale? Some had simply refused to extend undue favors to the powers that be. It appears that their so-called “insubordination” is now being avenged. The government’s strategy to withhold promotions and postings by labeling officers as either corrupt or “too close to PTI” is both illogical and misleading. If one were to review the postings made during the PTI government, a glaring contradiction emerges those who truly benefited from PTI’s tenure, enjoying influential positions and accumulating questionable wealth, continue to flourish under the current administration—many even receiving promotions. Take the case of Aamir Jan, the former principal secretary to Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. If he can be promoted despite his PTI connections, then why are other officers being penalized for a similar association? If the officers deemed unworthy of promotion were truly that incompetent, why were they entrusted with crucial government positions in the first place? Some of these sidelined officers have been at the forefront of maintaining law and order, earning them a place on political adversaries’ “hit lists.” Instead of rewarding their service, they are being pushed into professional obscurity. Dear Prime Minister, how can civil servants remain dedicated to public service when they themselves are victims of injustice? The bureaucracy has long viewed you as a leader committed to meritocracy, fairness, and institutional integrity. Now is the time to uphold that reputation. We urge you to initiate a transparent inquiry into this matter. Officers facing allegations must be given an opportunity to defend themselves. This isn’t just a bureaucratic demand—it’s a constitutional right. The Islamabad High Court has already set a precedent in this regard. Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, while hearing the case of Information Group officer Tahir Hassan, declared the CSB’s decision to deny him a promotion based on intelligence reports null and void. The ruling emphasized that an officer cannot be judged based on intelligence assessments unless they are formally informed of the allegations and given a chance to respond. The court went as far as to call such actions a “serious violation of fundamental rights.”. Even the judiciary acknowledges your competence, Prime Minister. During the hearing, Justice Khan directly addressed you, questioning how a leader of your caliber could allow bureaucracy to be subjected to unverified intelligence reports. Senior officers have proposed a straightforward solution: instead of relying on reports from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), review assessments from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Unlike IB, ISI reports are known for their credibility and impartiality, making them a reliable basis for promotion decisions. Credible sources indicate that selective officers were “targeted” using outdated and tailor-made intelligence reports rather than fresh, objective evaluations. To ensure fairness, all IB reports should be counter-verified by Military Intelligence (MI). MI operates on a globally recognized standard of merit and transparency, making it difficult for anyone to manipulate its findings. Prime Minister, the bureaucracy stands united in its demand for justice. We respectfully request that a review meeting of the High-Power Board and CSB be called immediately. If ISI and MI reports validate the existing decisions, the officers will accept their fate. However, if discrepancies arise, corrective action must be taken. To the so-called “gods” of the CSB—both official and unofficial members—we appeal to your sense of justice. Do not push sidelined officers to the point where they are forced to seek legal recourse. Lastly, this struggle isn’t limited to bureaucrats alone. Rankers and lower-level government employees suffer the same fate when it comes to unjust promotions and postings. The government must extend fairness to all, for justice delayed is justice denied. After all, as the saying goes, “Do good, and good will come to you.”