Punjab prisons chief reaches top grade in rare promotion move

LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General (IG) Prisons Mian Farooq Nazir has been granted a time-scale promotion to BS-22, making him the only officer from the provincial service in Punjab to reach the highest bureaucratic grade.

The upgrade places him at par with the chief secretary and above most federal officers posted in the province. However, despite the elevation, he will continue to operate under the administrative authority of Home Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi, who oversees multiple departments including prisons.

According to official documents, the promotion was granted after Nazir completed 10 years of service in BS-21, a requirement for time-scale upgradation. He was promoted to BS-21 in March 2016 and assumed charge as IG Prisons the same year.

The notification states that officers who complete a decade in a grade — either within a cadre with limited promotion opportunities or in positions with no upward mobility — may qualify for such personal upgrades. The Home Department has directed the Accountant General to issue revised pay slips following the promotion.

Officials say the development gives Nazir seniority over secretaries of several provincial departments, many of whom — largely from the Pakistan Administrative Service — are currently serving in BS-21.

Despite this, the administrative structure remains unchanged, meaning federal service officers will continue to exercise oversight and issue directives in line with existing rules of business.

Within the prisons department, no officer is currently serving in BS-21. However, three BS-20 officers — Kokab Nadeem Warraich, Mian Salik Jalal and Mubashar Malik — are considered potential candidates for the top post following Nazir’s expected retirement in the coming months.