In a dramatic move, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-led federal government has drastically increased discretionary powers of the Central Selection Board (CSB) for the promotion of senior civil servants to higher grades, it emerged on Tuesday.
The move that comes ahead of a CSB meeting allows 30 discretionary marks to CSB members to lift the position of what a senior bureaucrat described as favorite candidates by superseding candidates with impeccable service record but no political or bureaucratic connections.
However, a top government official said that the move was not politically motivated.
The CSB meeting was scheduled for November, but it was postponed due to the anti-government march organised by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and subsequent developments.
The CSB is headed by the chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission and comprises two parliamentarians, secretaries of the cabinet and establishment divisions, provincial chief secretaries, representatives of the federal governments in provinces and secretaries of the ministries concerned.
PM’s aide says the move is not politically motivated
On Dec 3, the establishment division with the approval of Prime Minister Imran Khan notified in the official gazette the Civil Servants Promotion (BPS-18 to BPS-21) Rules, 2019.
According to the new rules, the CSB, which earlier had 15 out of total 100 marks, has now got 30 marks on its discretion. In addition to the CSB’s 30 marks, 40 are reserved for the annual confidential reports (ACRs) and remaining 30 for professional courses.
