Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will announce its judgment over out-of-turn promotions in the Punjab Police today. A five judge larger bench headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali had reserved the judgment on December 14 over identical petitions, seeking review against top court’s order of 2013 regarding services and promotions.

The other members of the larger bench are Justice Amir Hani Muslim, Justice Ejaz Afzal khan, Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Ijazul Ahsan. In 2013, the apex court had declared out-of-turn promotions to be a violation of the constitution. It had ruled that no police personnel or civil servant was entitled to out-of-turn promotion on account of gallantry award or otherwise. In pursuance of top court’s 2013 order regarding services and promotions, above 8,500 police officials of Punjab province were demoted including 20 Superintendents of Police above ranked officers.

Most of the review petitioners had contended before the larger bench that they were promoted under the Section 8(a) of Police Rules and they did not fall under the judgment of 2013. One of the petitions filed through Barrister Ali Zafar contended that prior to the Jan 26 judgment; the top court had never passed any wide-ranging verdict declaring all out-of-turn promotions illegal.

The petition contended that the provincial government granted the promotions in accordance with the prevalent provisions of law and in compliance with the judgments of the Supreme Court, therefore, could not be reopened retrospectively to prejudice the rights of the petitioner.

It recalled that the decision to grant promotions by the government was based on strict criteria as prescribed in relevant laws and rules and after duly examining the petitioner’s performance and qualification by the provincial selection board. It further contended that the promotion also did not violate any constitutional provision and that the government had the right to classify the officers in terms of their performance, integrity and qualifications.