LAHORE: The [time-scale] promotion of Punjab Inspector General (IG) Prisons Mian Farooq Nazir to BS-22 has made him the only provincial service officer in Punjab to reach the highest grade, placing him on a par with the chief secretary and senior to most federal officers serving in the province.

Mr Nazir has become senior to Home Department Secretary Punjab Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi, an officer of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), who otherwise is his immediate boss and will continue to issue him instructions to follow.

Mr Qazi is commanding various departments including prisons, Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB), monitoring department, charity commission, Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) etc.

According to an official document, (a copy is also available with Dawn), the Punjab government promoted Punjab prisons IG to BS-22 for serving for 10 years in grade 21.

Farooq Nazir becomes sole provincial cadre officer to reach BS-22; however, will remain under administrative control of home secretary

It says Farooq Nazir was promoted to grade 21 on a regular basis in March 2016 and also assumed the charge of Punjab IG prisons on the same date.

“He completed the 10-year requisite satisfactory service in grade 21 and is, therefore, eligible for Time Scale Personal Upgradation to BS-22,” reads the official letter issued by the Punjab Home Department.

In the letter, the home secretary has asked the Punjab accountant general to issue revised pay slips to the newly promoted DIG prisons accordingly.

Separately, a finance department notification explains that the time-scale promotion is admissible to the officers/officials who have completed 10 year in a cadre in which promotion channel is available or on a stagnant post having no promotion channel and they have not joined any other cadre or post.

An official said Mian Farooq Nazir while continuing as Punjab IG prisons got a visible edge in respect of getting BS-22 grade on the secretaries of all the 41 government departments including the services, S&GAD, planning & development, law, finance, health, education, C&W etc.

A majority of them belonging to the PAS is presently serving in grade 21 across the Punjab province.

To a question, the official said the federal services officers would continue to wield the authority to command and pass instructions to the IG prisons when required due to the nature of the job assignments.He said currently no officer in the Punjab prisons was serving in grade 21.

However, there were three officers, who may be considered for the next IG prisons after the retirement of Farooq Nazir within a few months, were serving in grade 20.

They included Kokab Nadeem Warraich, Mian Salik Jalal and Mubashar Malik, the official said.

Of these officers, Mr Warraich was senior to Mian Salik and Mubashar Malik, he said, adding that the post of the Punjab prisons IG was of grade 21.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2026