Punjab Formally Abolishes 101 Section Officer Posts Across 40 Departments

LAHORE (Staff Reporter): The Punjab government has formally abolished 101 posts of Section Officers (BS-17) in 40 administrative departments across the province, including 15 departments operating under the South Punjab Civil Secretariat.

The Punjab Additional Chief Secretary on Thursday formally conveyed the decision to all administrative secretaries across the province. Earlier this month, the government had decided to abolish the 101 Section Officer posts and convert them into Additional Assistant Commissioner (AAC) positions across the 40 administrative departments.

The decision had triggered concerns among Provincial Management Service (PMS) officers, who argued that Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) officers were taking decisions in isolation and that the restructuring had effectively pushed young PMS officers one step below before their posting as regular assistant commissioners in different tehsils. They also demanded that PAS officers be posted as AACs in equal numbers to address their concerns.

In the first phase, the Punjab government posted 35 AACs in different tehsils across the province, comprising 22 PMS and 13 PAS officers. The PMS officers were transferred from their previous positions and posted as AACs, while the 13 PAS officers serving as AC (UT) were given additional charge of the AAC positions in their respective areas.

In a fresh notification issued by Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, another 26 AACs from among the Section Officers whose posts had been abolished were posted to field positions.

According to the notification, 24 PMS officers were transferred and posted as AACs in the second phase.

Among the PAS officers, one AC (UT) was given additional charge of AAC Vehari, while another PAS officer serving as AAC Taunsa was transferred and posted as AAC Dera Ghazi Khan against a vacant position.