KARACHI, Oct 28: A number of doctors working with the provincial health department have expressed concern over what they said inordinate delay in the finalization of matters relating to their promotion.

These doctors, who requested anonymity, claimed that some of the doctors having only five years service to their credit had been promoted because of their right connection.

They said they had become eligible for promotion and in spite of available vacancies, the health department was not processing their cases for unknown reasons.

According to them, promotion of BPS-17, 18 and 19 were due since long. However, the only step taken by the health department so far has been to ask the doctors to submit their ACRs.

They said the meeting of departmental promotion committee was postponed every time on one pretext or the other.

The doctors said promotion cases of doctors of BPS-18 were lying in the Section XIII since February. Similarly, they said, the BPS-17 doctors also say that the department was playing a cruel joke with them because of the departmental promotion committee meeting had been postponed thrice recently.

The provincial health minister and secretary could not be reached for comment despite several attempts.