Govt mulls strategy for fixing mistakes

ISLAMABAD The Federal Government has been feverishly working on a strategy to deal with any eventuality that may come about in the event the Supreme Court adjudicates against the previous decisions of the Prime Minister regarding promotion of senior civil servants.
TheNation learnt from official sources that the Prime Minister had ordered promotions of 52 BPS-22 officers, and more than 52 officers of grade-20 were promoted to grade-21. Similarly, more officers were promoted from grade 19 to grade 20 and subsequently the departmental promotion boards also promoted civil servants in the lower echelons of the civil bureaucracy.
Keeping in view all these promotions, a process resulted where the Prime Minister using his prerogative to promote officers from grade 21 to 22, ignored some individuals under the age-old practice under which every incumbent government seeks the support of the civil bureaucracy for a democratically elected government. However, some officials, in a major departure from practice, challenged the powers of the Prime Minister in the Supreme Court where the case is under process and a decision is expected in the coming days.
It was learnt that to avoid any massive disruption of official machinery, the Government has put together a contingency plan that will allow the officials promoted by the Prime Minister to continue in their present positions and at the same time, try to accommodate those officials in whose favour a decision may be given by the court.
As a declared policy of the Federal Government, it was decided during the session that even if the decision came against the Federal Government, it would be implemented in letter and spirit. However, the officials will not replace those already promoted who will be allowed to continue in their present jobs, or till the time the Prime Minister decides to move them to some other position.