LAHORE: A long delay in the promotion of senior police officers, including the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director general and police chiefs of the four provinces, has caused a slowdown in career progression of officers serving in BS-19 and BS-20 awaiting promotions to next grades.

The delay has caused a trickle-down effect on the cases of officers serving against the ranks of SSPs and DIGs, creating a huge backlog of pending cases in various ranks across the country, Dawn has learnt.

The promotion to BS-22 represents top-tier position and requires approval from the Selection Board (SB) chaired by the prime minister or deputy prime minister, often based on recommendations from the Establishment Division to fill important but limited vacancies. Less than a percent of the country’s civil servants make it to the highest rank. The board’s last meeting held in March 2025 recommended the promotion of several officers belonging to various services, including the police.

Dawn spoke to several officers serving as IG and additional IGs against various positions who described the delay as a matter of serious concerns for the promotion of senior ranking officers of the country. They held the view that several eligible candidates had retired from service in grade 21 since the last meeting of the SB without being promoted to BS-22. Similarly, many other officers in the same grade were also approaching their retirement age with a bleak chance of getting the coveted positions.

Last meeting of the board that approves promotions at the highest level was scheduled for April 27 but was deferred due to recent regional situation and ‘pressing commitments’ of premier and deputy PM

The weary police officers voiced the concern that presently nine out of the total 13 seats had been vacant for the past several months and those officers in grade 21 serving against senior positions of BS-22 had been awaiting the SB meeting.

“Keeping in view the concerns of the officers, the meeting of the board was scheduled on April 27, 2026,” Establishment Division Secretary Nabeel Awan told Dawn. He said notices had been issued to all the relevant members of the board, including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, secretaries of the cabinet and establishment divisions, adviser to PM Tauqir Shah, the federal minister for cabinet division and other relevant members. The establishment division had invited them to the meeting to initiate the promotion process to fill the vacancies.

“We got directions to defer the meeting due to certain pressing commitments of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in connection with the evolving regional situation,” Mr Awan said. The meeting of the board could be called at the end of May, wherein the promotions would be considered accordingly, he added.

He confirmed that some senior PSPs in BS-21 have retired, leaving a total of nine seats of BS-22 vacant across the country, while more will reach the age of superannuation this year. To a question, he said that the board considers officers in view of their reputation, efficiency, professionalism, and ACRs for ensuring merit in the selection process.

On the other hand, a senior PSP officer said the government should conduct the promotion process twice a year or when the number of vacant seats reaches three or four to offer a fair opportunity to aspirants. He said that many grade 20 and grade 21 police officers were serving against senior positions due to a delay in promotion cases. Citing cases of two senior PSPs awaiting promotions to BS-22, he said that they were elevated to BS-21 in 2021 and were serving in the same grade for the last five years or so.

Police officers belonging to the 26th and 27th Common appear to be the most-affected. They had reached the eligibility criteria for promotion but the delay had them continue to serve in the DIG rank despite being senior to the officers of the 28th Common.

The 28th Common is the biggest batch in the history of the police service officers and consists of nearly 60 officers across the country also serving as DIGs.

The promotion channel could have been streamlined by filling vacancies at every level to create room for officers of every rank - SSPs, DIGs, and Additional IGs, the officer said. He went on to say that the last Central Selection Board meeting was held almost a year ago for the promotion of officers in BS-20 to the next grade.

It, however, could not meet since then due to the delay in the meeting of the PB, which was to consider promotions of BS-21 officers.

According to available reports, the official said some officers serving in BS-20 had already retired. He feared that there were chances that a majority of those currently serving at various positions would also retire in the same grade due to the delay in promotion of their seniors.

The delay has created a grave situation as it affects the morale, career progression and performance of these officers, he said, adding that some ranks were facing a shortage of officers and only a streamlined promotion system could address this issue.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2026