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IHC Lifts Stay on FBR Promotions, Allows Selection Board to Proceed
Islamabad High Court lifts stay on FBR promotions, allowing the selection board to consider BS-22 candidates. Petitioner Shah Bano Ghaznavi alleges political interference in the promotion system.
ND
by News Desk
2025-03-15
IHC Lifts Stay on FBR Promotions, Allows Selection Board to Proceed

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has removed the stay order on the promotion of Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officers, clearing the way for the High-Powered Selection Board to assess candidates for BS-22.

The case was filed by BS-21 officer Shah Bano Ghaznavi, who appeared in court alongside her legal counsel. She challenged the existing promotion process, claiming systemic issues within the bureaucratic structure.

During the hearing, FBR representatives informed the court that they had issued a notification regarding the matter on March 13, following the petition. Justice Khan noted that since the promotion process was still incomplete, the court found it appropriate to lift the stay order, allowing the board to proceed with its decisions.

Allegations of Bias in Promotions

Speaking to the media outside the courtroom, Shah Bano Ghaznavi emphasized that her case was not directed against the FBR chairman but rather the Prime Minister’s Secretariat and the Secretary Establishment Division. She alleged that both entities failed to address her concerns, highlighting a broader issue of career stagnation in the civil service.

She claimed that certain officers are deliberately placed in inactive roles to hinder their promotions. “I was assigned an inactive position for seven years, and when my promotion was due, my performance evaluations were used as an excuse to deny me my rightful advancement,” she asserted.

Ms. Ghaznavi further criticized what she described as politically motivated promotions, stating that officers who refuse to comply with political agendas are often sidelined. “Those who do not compromise on their principles are systematically excluded from the promotion process,” she added.

She also pointed out that key FBR operations are currently managed by OPS (acting) officers, while qualified individuals are overlooked. “For three decades, the system has operated on an ad hoc basis. If an officer challenges the process, they are accused of obstructing others’ rights,” she claimed.

The ruling is expected to have significant implications for the promotion system within the FBR, as it reopens the path for the selection board to evaluate eligible candidates. However, concerns regarding transparency and political influence in the promotion process remain a key issue for many civil servants.
Tagged:

IHC

FBR

Bureaucracy

JudicialVerdict

CivilServiceReforms
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