ISLAMABAD, Feb 13: The promotion board of the Establishment Division postponed its meeting for the fourth time since November, it has been learnt. The board meeting was to be held to promote BPS-17 and BPS-18 officers of Police Service of Pakistan (PSP) and District Management Group (DMG), sources told on Sunday.The board holds its meeting once in a year to promote the BPS-17 and BPS-18 officers to the next grades of BPS-18 and BPS-19 respectively. But no such meeting could be held in 2010.

Earlier, the board meeting was scheduled to be held first in November, later in December and finally in January but all the meetings had to be delayed. Likewise the meeting scheduled to be held in February was again postponed.

The officers who were to be promoted in November 2010 are still working in BPS-17 and BPS-18, while their promotions were due four months ago.

As a result, the posts for the fresh PSPs and DMGs are not available. While a number of BPS-18 and BPS-19 posts are lying vacant in all the four provinces, federal capital, GB and AJK, as the grade 18 and 19 officers have already been promoted to the next grade.

The delay in the promotion board meeting has also given rise to the shoulder promotions to meet the requirement of the officers against the available vacant posts.

Some of the officers waiting for the promotion had been given shoulder promotions but the Supreme Court of Pakistan in a petition raised serious objections to the practice terming it illegal and violation of merit.

Secretary Establishment Division Abdul Rauf Chaudhry when contacted said that he was not aware of the delays in the board meetings as he had recently joined the Establishment Division however he promised to look into the matter.