Share this story!            

Promotion of 51 bureaucrats to grade 22 challenged in SC

By Masood Rehman

ISLAMABAD: A petition challenging the promotions of 51 junior bureaucrats to grade 22 was filed with the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Senior bureaucrat Nazir Ahmed Chaudhry – a member of the Income Tax (Appellate) Tribunal – filed the petition trough his lawyer, Dr Muhammad Aslam Khakai, under Article 184(3) of the constitution. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani and the Cabinet Division have been made respondents to the petition.

The prime minister ordered the promotion of the 51 officers to the rank of federal secretaries earlier this month.

The petition says the junior officers were promoted by ignoring seniors, which “is sheer discrimination under the constitution as well as Islamic principles … the promotions were ordered on political grounds”. It says the “policy of favouritism” has frustrated hard-working and devoted bureaucrats, which could deal a blow to public affairs.

“The impugned promotions ignoring the senior civil servants ... are tantamount to their condemnation without allegations or charge sheet and hearing, which is in violation of the principles of Audi altrem partem (hear the other side),” says the petition.

Home | National

Share this story!