LAHORE, Feb 23: ‘Irregularities’ in recent promotions and the new promotion policy have sent a wave of unrest among National Bank officers. Already dismayed at “double standards” being shown by the administration viz-a-viz treatment of regular and contractual employees, officers say the new promotion policy is not less than a bombshell for them.

NBP officers association (Lahore chapter) officer-bearers, at a news conference here on Thursday, rejected the new promotion policy which requires grade 1 and above officers to clear interview to be eligible for promotion.

“This (interview) requirement is meant to benefit favourites,” they said. “Those conducting the tests can pass and fail candidates at will and no body will be able to challenge them once the policy is put in practice.”

About promotions given during the last couple of months, they said that bank’s own policy had been flouted with impunity with a majority of officers deprived of their right (to promotion).

Complaints of wrongdoings in promotions in grade III and above have come from bank’s other regions also. There are a number of aggrieved officials in Bahawalpur and Multan circles who say that favourites have been rewarded in promotions announced last month.

In some cases officers not fulfilling the promotion criteria were benefited. “An officer under observation for an alleged fraud was given moveover in Rahim Yar Khan.”

Complainants say that favouritism was also demonstrated by the administration during the distribution of last year’s performance awards in Bahawalpur. In one case the diver of an executive got the award.

Those who addressed the news conference in Lahore urged the bank president to unveil those involved in the 2003 bogus recruitment scam, withdraw the interview requirement, promote officers from the 2002 batch, stop patronising executives hired on contract, probe alleged tempering with ACRs and approve the pay package agreed with the association.—Imran Akram