Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a significant ruling regarding promotions of government employees, stating clearly that it is a fundamental legal right of every public servant to be considered for performance-based promotion.
The five-page written judgment was authored by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar. It states that the petitioner, a senior officer in the Police Service, was denied promotion three times despite having excellent performance reports from 2013 to 2018.
The SC noted that the absence of the officer’s 2019 performance report was due to not being given a field posting, which should not be viewed as a negative factor. The court criticised the High-Powered Selection Board, pointing out that the decision to deny promotion lacked solid justification or evidence, and that negative remarks were added to the minutes without proof.
The court emphasised that pro forma promotion is a legal right of public servants and can even be granted after retirement if the officer is eligible. It further clarified that no allegations were proven against the petitioner, and therefore any damage to his reputation would be unfair.
The SC directed all government institutions to ensure transparency and timely decisions in promotion matters to prevent retired officers from facing unnecessary delays or injustice.
The apex court overturned the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) decision and ordered the High-Powered Selection Board to re-evaluate the petitioner’s case on merit within two months.
