Provinces barred from repatriating services of bureaucrats unilaterally

KARACHI: The federal government has restrained the provincial governments from repatriation of services of bureaucrats catering to the Police Service of Pakistan and Pakistan Administrative Service to the Establishment Division without any compelling and convincing reason.

“Instances have come into the notice of the Establishment Division that provincial governments have unilaterally repatriated the services of PSP and PAS officers to the Establishment Division without assigning any reasons,” reads an official letter (copy of which is available to The News) sent by the Establishment Division to all the provincial chief secretaries, adding that such practices of the provincial governments were contrary to the prescribed procedure.

According to the official document, the provincial governments have also been instructed to avoid using the term ‘surrender’ in future while repatriating the services of any officer to the Establishment Division.

It added, “As per the provisions contained in Inter-Provincial Agreement of 1993 and Rule 15 of the Civil Service of Pakistan (Composition and Cadre) Rules, 1954, the provincial governments can only request federal government through Establishment Division for withdrawal of the services of an officer on the basis of cogent reasons or specific charges against him and after which Establishment Division has a discretion to transfer him or otherwise.”

The letter concluded all the provincial governments were requested to follow the provisions of Interprovincial Agreement of 1993 and Rule 15 of the Civil Service of Pakistan (Composition & Cadre) Rules, 1954, adding, “In future, if services of any PAS and PSP officers are not required by provincial governments, they may refer the matter to the Establishment Division with specific charges and reasons against an officer along with justification for such withdrawal of services.” It is pertinent to mention that the Sindh government has recently surrendered the services of many PAS and PSP officers, including two IGPS, AD Khowaja and Dr. Kaleem Imam.