At least 64 bureaucrats filed petitions with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the promotions, stating that they were denied promotions despite their eligibility because of a ‘controversial’ formula introduced by the federal government in 2012. A look at the formula suggests that system by which points were awarded was clearly arbitrary.
On July 27, Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the IHC set aside the promotions of over 300 bureaucrats and directed the federal government to revise the promotion criteria. The court also declared, “the entire process carried out by the Central Selection Committee (CSB) on the basis of the formula is illegal.” The government, however, has filed an intra-court appeal in the IHC to set aside the order.
The government introduced the formula enabling the CSB to assign 15 per cent marks. Five marks were allotted for “integrity/perception” in most cases, it was these five marks that allowed the candidate’s promotion.
The implication is that the 15 points were often awarded based on cronyism and rather than any concern for integrity. The idea of a perceptions based raking, just on the face of it, is highly subjective and poses ethical problems. Furthermore, officers above the age of 58 were excused from requirements that intended attending important training courses due to “unavoidable” circumstances. Older officers, by dint of experience, contacts or “integrity”, get to avoid job requirements, while the youth has to jump though countless hoops. This is a national trend, and found in other fields as well.
The clear streak of cronyism is easily visible in the civil services. The executive has tried to turn public servants into party loyalists and the CSB criteria was just another strategy to mask favouritism with an official selection criteria. Justice Siddiqui had directed the Establishment Division to reframe the formula categorise the civil servants within one month. But rather than follow court orders, the government has appealed. A month has passed, and nothing has changed, and probably will not if the government continues with its present attitude.