Ambiguity about promotion for senior posts finally cleared

LAHORE: An ambiguity or what many believe a misinterpretation of rules has finally been cleared regarding the departmental promotion for senior posts, paving the way for providing equal opportunity to otherwise demoralising eligible officers, The News has learnt.

A rare consensus on this lingering issue was reached in the departmental promotion committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Secretary Punjab Livestock & Dairy Development Department (PLDD) on January 10, 2023. Discussing promotion cases of veterinary officer (BS-17) against the post of Senior Veterinary Officer (BS-18), Deputy Secretary (Regulation), Service & General Administrative Department, Punjab and member of the Department of Promotion Committee M Saleem pointed out that Financial and Departmental Management Training mentioned in the Service Rule under Column-10 is only for confirmation and not compulsory for promotion. The Chair agreed with the viewpoint and shared that department would avoid this practice and submit working paper as per the service rule. The observation of senior S&GAD officer and identical views expressed by the Secretary PLDD was in sheer contrast to what was being followed in the department for the last decade or so, bulldozing cases of numerous eligible officers in want of completing training courses. Such misinterpretation of rules have virtually divided human resource of the department in two opposing groups, making working environment unnecessarily toxic. Such lopsided promotion procedure also becomes annoying for many due to slow-paced processing.

Senior officers who have been denying promotion in this connection consider it a blatant discrimination as it used to give leverage to those hired directly, said an aggrieved officer on the condition of anonymity. He lamented that despite what he believed a crystal clear service rule for promotion of senior positions, officers were forced to undergo training, which in fact was required for confirmation only after they getting promoted. A group of PLDD employees raised their issue saying high-ups are not processing their respective promotion cases as per Livestock Service Rules as their promotion has been illegally linked to training. In contrast, they alleged that officials recruited directly were being promoted without getting training in violation of rules. However, luckily this issue echoed in a meeting of Promotion Committee where a senior official of S&GAD presented similar stance. As per information gathered from various credible sources, the official stressed that there was no need of training for getting promotion, terming it misinterpretation of related rules. Secretary, Livestock Dept said to be supportive of this argument as he explicitly backed this stance. He assured that the department would follow interpretation where training is required only for confirmation after the promotion. When contacted, a senior official of PLDD shared his opinion on the issue, saying promotions are proceeded through notified service rules as per procedure being followed, and all promotions are linked with mandatory trainings. He called for a speedy promotion structure in all technical departments though, saying all technical officers are highly qualified and professional. Director Communication & Extension PLDD Dr Asif Rafiq did not comment when queries in this connection were shared with him.