Bilawal, Khawaja Asif included in selection board

ISLAMABAD: Two politicians have been included in the High-Powered Selection Board (HPSB), which is empowered to promote federal bureaucrats from Grade-21 to 22.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has nominated PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif as members of HPSB.

According to the rules, the prime minister chairs the meeting of HPSB, while Secretary Cabinet Division, Secretary Establishment Division, Principal Secretary to PM and Secretary of the concerned ministry are the members.

The prime minister has the power to make Minister Establishment Division or a member of the parliament as member of the Board.

Since the current Secretary to PM, Asadur Rehman Gilani, is a Grade-21 officer and his own promotion case will be considered, he will not attend the meeting.

The High-Powered Selection Board decides on appointments and promotions from Grade-21 to 22. More than 40 posts of Grade-22 are vacant as there has been no meeting of HPSB since long. The last meeting of the board was held in March 2023.

According to sources, the meeting of HPSB will be convened very soon.

The reason for the delay in calling the meeting was that the PPP had demanded its leadership be included in the process of promotions in bureaucracy as an alliance party.