ISLAMABAD, Jan 17: The Prime Minister’s Secretariat has asked the Establishment Division not to make any posting or transfer of officers of BPS-20 without its approval, Dawn has learnt on authority.

The move is apparently aimed at tightening control over the federal bureaucracy.

“Though not formally, high-ups of the Establishment Division have been given clear instructions that no officer of BPS-20 will be transferred or posted without a prior approval by the PM’s Secretariat,” an official close to the development told Dawn.

In a major reshuffle in the federal bureaucracy on Friday night, the prime minister had changed portfolios of over a dozen secretaries, besides filling important positions of establishment and cabinet secretaries.Officials said that the prime minister had made the changes on merit and refused to bow to the pressure from the PPP high-ups.

There were also reports of differences between the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Secretariat over the changes made in key positions.

The move to restrict postings and transfers in BPS-20 may affect working of the bureaucracy which was facing a dearth of officers at top positions. At present, over 40 posts are lying vacant in BPS-21 and BPS-22.

Under a policy, postings and transfers at the secretary level (BPS-21 and 22) are made by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, but the changes in BPS-20 are decided by the secretary of the Establishment Division.

Out of the 141 sanctioned posts in BPS-20, 50 are lying vacant.

A senior official said it was beyond anybody’s comprehension why the Prime Minister’s Secretariat was dragging itself into such a negligible matter when the country was facing much important issues.