ISLAMABAD, Dec 11: A Special Committee of the Senate Friday observed that the peculiar centre-provinces relations in Pakistan demanded a more pragmatic approach towards promotion of officers from the smaller provinces, who felt deprived.

The committee was constituted to look into the recent decision of the Central Selection Board (CSB) and ascertain reasons for not promoting officers from Balochistan, Sindh, NWFP and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) to Grade 21.

Briefing the committee, officials of Establishment Division clarified that the revised region/province-wise position of the officers promoted to BS-21 was as per recommendations of the Central Selection Board.

The CSB has promoted 49 officers from Punjab, 10 from Sindh, eight from NWFP, two from Balochistan and one from FATA. No officer from the Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) was promoted.

The Establishment Division was of the view that posts in BS- 19 to Bs-20 were selection posts and promotions to these grades were made on the basis of selection on merit by the appropriate selection boards.

The posts carrying BS 21 fall in senior management category involving important policy-making or extensive administrative jurisdictions.

In addition to the circulation value and variety of experience, the incumbents eligible for promotion to such posts must possess proven analytical competence, breadth of vision, emotional maturity and other such qualities which might determine the potential for successfully holding posts in top management, the officials stated.

The members of the committee observed that they would like to hear the views of the minister in charge of Establishment Division in the next meeting.

However, the committee observed that it was need of the hour to promote officers from neglected provinces, particularly Balochistan and NWFP, to enforce the belief of the people in federalism and promote national integration.

Senators Hameedullah Khan Jan Afridi, Raza Mohammad Raza and Col (retired) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi attended the meeting.