ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan reportedly violated merit and Civil Service rules by giving a promotion to Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed's favourite officer at the Postal Services of Pakistan who neither met the criteria nor enjoys a good reputation.
Sources who had direct access to the proceedings of the recently held High Powered Board meeting for promotion of officers to Grade 22, told Naya Daur Media that the moment consideration started over the names from Postal Services Group, Imran Khan took out a piece of paper from his pocket and said that Ijaz Minhas must be promoted.
One of the members informed the PM that the said officer was on number six and did not meet the basic criteria required for promotion to Grade-22. Imran Khan stunned the members and said that they should forget about rules and merit and promote the said officer as Murad Saeed had recommended him.
A member of the High Powered Board told Naya Daur Media on the condition of anonymity that promotion to Grade 22 is the discretion of Prime Minister. He neither denied nor confirmed what happened during the meeting with regard to promotion of Ijaz Minhas.
Sources say that when another member politely told the PM that intelligence reports paint a negative picture of the officer, Imran Khan snubbed the member and said that the reports should be ignored. "I have to oblige Murad Saeed as he defends me on every forum," he said.
The officer who was number two on the list for promotion is Arshad Ali Khan who enjoys an impeccable record but was ignored, because Murad Saeed had a personal grudge against him. It merits mentioning here that Arshad Khan had called Murad Saeed out on insulting senior officers during a meeting a year and a half ago.
Ijaz Minhas is often accused of incompetence and disregard for rules. Sources at the highest level in the communication minister told Naya Daur Media that to please the minister, he recently launched some projects bypassing public procurement rules. “These are going to be standard NAB cases. It was the same Murad Saeed who accused Ahsan Iqbal of disregarding public procurement rules in the famous sports complex corruption case” the officer added.
Naya Daur saw the documents presented to the Prime Minister with regard to the officer Ijaz Minhas. Intelligence reports disfavored him for his unclean past in addition to the file which clearly showed that he does not have a service length of 25 years. Civil Service rules say that the minimum length of service for promotion from Grade 21 to Grade 22 is 25 years. This is mandatory and binding.
A federal minister from PTI who is privy to the saga told Naya Daur Media with a request of anonymity fears the backlash this may cause when media finds out how the PM knowingly violated merit and service rules.
"What if the aggrieved member takes the matter to court? How will we face our voters and media given that the party came into power with the promise that appointments will be made on merit?" he asked.
A senior officer at the Establishment Division told this correspondent requesting not to be named that for the first time in the history of Civil Service and Postal Services of Pakistan, an officer superseded five senior and competent officers. “I don’t understand what is so special about this officer. He does not even meet the basic criteria of promotion to Grade-22. Is the entire government machinery blind to the fact that this matter will be highlighted in the media and may be challenged in the court of law?”, the officer added.
Sources who had direct access to the proceedings of the recently held High Powered Board meeting for promotion of officers to Grade 22, told Naya Daur Media that the moment consideration started over the names from Postal Services Group, Imran Khan took out a piece of paper from his pocket and said that Ijaz Minhas must be promoted.
One of the members informed the PM that the said officer was on number six and did not meet the basic criteria required for promotion to Grade-22. Imran Khan stunned the members and said that they should forget about rules and merit and promote the said officer as Murad Saeed had recommended him.
A member of the High Powered Board told Naya Daur Media on the condition of anonymity that promotion to Grade 22 is the discretion of Prime Minister. He neither denied nor confirmed what happened during the meeting with regard to promotion of Ijaz Minhas.
Sources say that when another member politely told the PM that intelligence reports paint a negative picture of the officer, Imran Khan snubbed the member and said that the reports should be ignored. "I have to oblige Murad Saeed as he defends me on every forum," he said.
The officer who was number two on the list for promotion is Arshad Ali Khan who enjoys an impeccable record but was ignored, because Murad Saeed had a personal grudge against him. It merits mentioning here that Arshad Khan had called Murad Saeed out on insulting senior officers during a meeting a year and a half ago.
Ijaz Minhas is often accused of incompetence and disregard for rules. Sources at the highest level in the communication minister told Naya Daur Media that to please the minister, he recently launched some projects bypassing public procurement rules. “These are going to be standard NAB cases. It was the same Murad Saeed who accused Ahsan Iqbal of disregarding public procurement rules in the famous sports complex corruption case” the officer added.
Naya Daur saw the documents presented to the Prime Minister with regard to the officer Ijaz Minhas. Intelligence reports disfavored him for his unclean past in addition to the file which clearly showed that he does not have a service length of 25 years. Civil Service rules say that the minimum length of service for promotion from Grade 21 to Grade 22 is 25 years. This is mandatory and binding.
A federal minister from PTI who is privy to the saga told Naya Daur Media with a request of anonymity fears the backlash this may cause when media finds out how the PM knowingly violated merit and service rules.
"What if the aggrieved member takes the matter to court? How will we face our voters and media given that the party came into power with the promise that appointments will be made on merit?" he asked.
A senior officer at the Establishment Division told this correspondent requesting not to be named that for the first time in the history of Civil Service and Postal Services of Pakistan, an officer superseded five senior and competent officers. “I don’t understand what is so special about this officer. He does not even meet the basic criteria of promotion to Grade-22. Is the entire government machinery blind to the fact that this matter will be highlighted in the media and may be challenged in the court of law?”, the officer added.