PMS officers concerned over delay in promotions

LAHORE: The Punjab Management Service Association decided Friday to protest against ‘hostile attitude’ of powerful bureaucracy belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) towards the PMS. The Association announced they will start a peaceful protest by wearing black armbands. Sources told The News the PMS Association Punjab held a meeting in Lahore on Thursday, which was attended by a large number of officers from across the province. The meeting criticised “unfair treatment” of provincial civil service officers by the Department of Services and General Administration, which is controlled by officers of the Pakistan Administrative Service (formerly DMG Group).Sources said the meeting was told promotion boards were held in Punjab on the instructions of chief minister. But despite hundreds of posts of Grade 18 and 19 being vacant, the PMS officers were not being promoted.

“This behaviour is not only unethical but also illegal, which was strongly condemned by the meeting participants.”

The meeting was also informed despite assurances given by S&GAD to the Association regarding promotion courses, DMG/PAS officers were not ready to implement the same.

During the last one year, the PMS Association repeatedly told Chief Secretary, Additional Chief Secretary and Secretary Services of Punjab verbally and in writing about the promotion training and said that there would be vacancies in the next few years. But the officers would not be able to get promotion for being not trained.

Therefore, training should be conducted immediately, but to no avail, the meeting told. Concern was also expressed in the meeting that PMS officers were being deprived of promotion despite existence of numerous Grade 20 posts in the province. The sources said it was decided PMS officers from across Punjab will wear black armbands, perform their official duties and start a peaceful and silent protest against the behaviour of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) till the issues are resolved. Another meeting will be called to discuss other ways of protest.