Promotion delays affecting top bureaucracy

ISLAMABAD: The top bureaucracy has become a victim of ad-hocism due to delay in the promotion process.

Grade 21 officers have been appointed to many posts of grade 22 due to the unavailability of grade 22 officers. After March 2023, there has been no meeting of the High Power Board for promotion of officers to grade 22. There are 40 posts of federal secretary, of which 22 posts are filled with grade 22 officers. They include Secretary Aviation Division Captain (retd) Saif Anjum, Secretary Cabinet Division Kamran Ali Afzal, Secretary Climate Change Ejaz Aslam Dar, Secretary Economic Affairs Dr. Kazim Niaz, Secretary Establishment Division Inamullah Dharijo, Secretary Finance Division Amdadullah Bosal, Foreign Secretary Muhammad Cyrus Sajjad Qazi, Secretary Housing and Construction Dr Shahzad Khan Bangash, Secretary Human Rights Allah Dino Khawaja, Secretary Information Shahira Shahid, Secretary Interior Muhammad Khurram Agha, Secretary Maritime Affairs Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Secretary National Food Security Dr. Muhammad Fakhr Alam Irfan, Secretary National Heritage and Culture Hasan Nasir Jami, Secretary Overseas Pakistan Division Dr. Arshad Mahmood, Secretary Parliamentary Affairs Hamir Ahmad, Secretary Planning Division Awais Manzoor Samra, Secretary Privatization Division Jawad Pal, Secretary Religious Affairs Zulfiqar Haider, Secretary Zafar Hassan, Secretary Inter-provincial Coordination Dr. Nadeem Irshad Kayani and Secretary Water Resources Syed Ali Murtaza.

There are six posts of federal secretaries which are vacant but given as additional charge. The additional charge of Secretary Trade has been given to Ahsan Ali Mangi who is a grade 21 officer. Additional charge of Secretary Industry and Production has been given to Dr. Muhammad Fakhr Alam, Secretary National Food Security. Additional charge of Secretary Communications has been given to Special Secretary Communications Ali Sher Mehsud. Additional charge of Secretary Anti-Narcotics has been given to Secretary Interior Khurram Agha.

The National Security secretary post is vacant, and so is Poverty Alleviation. There are secretaries of grade 21 of nine ministries, including Ministry of Health Nadeem Mehboob, Petroleum Momin Agha, Power Division Rashid Mehmood, Railways Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, Science and Technology Ali Tahir, Revenue Division Malik Amjad Zubair, S Education Mohiuddin Wani, Information Technology Captain (R) Muhammad Mahmood and Kashmir Affairs Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry.

Retired Lt. Gen. Hamud-ul-Zaman Khan has been appointed to the post of Secretary Defence and retired Lt. Gen. Muhammad Chirag Haider to the post of Secretary Defense Production. Senior consultant Raja Naeem Akbar has been given the charge of Secretary Law and Justice.