Apropos to the article by Mr. Mohsin Raza Malik titled “Nabbing the Accountability” published in your esteemed newspaper on February, 28th 2018.
The Provincial Management Service of Punjab Province has been termed as “Inferior Cadre” in the aforesaid article, a cliché which being aberrant, shoddy and skeptical has evoked great deal of pique and angst amongst PMS officers across Pakistan for being derogatory and Contrary to the constitutional and statutory status of the Provincial Service in Pakistan and is forcefully repudiated. Though the constitutional status of the PMS of Pakistan is crystal clear and requires no clarification yet it seems appropriate that for the correction of negative streak of mind developed and being conveyed through the aforesaid term “Inferior-Cadre”, let us make it clear that the PMS Cadre enjoys the legal and constitutional status being an established and recognized service segment of the federating units of Pakistan. For the convenience of worthy columnist, it is expounded that all administrative posts in the Province are shared by two streams of officers – Federal Service called DMG (District Management Group) and Provincial Service called PMS (Provincial Management Service). No provision of any statute makes distinction between the officers of both the cadres of Administrative posts borne on the jo8int cadre.
The officers of both the cadres are inducted through competitive process conducted by Provincial Public Service Commission and Federal Public Service Commission. The Provincial Public Service Commission examination by no means is less challenging in term of rigors and competitiveness. There are numerous instances when individuals who failed to clear the Provincial Public Service Commission examination, passed the CSS examination conducted by Federal Public Service Commission in the same year in the same go. On the contrary there are quite a number of PMS officers who having qualified the CSS examination were allocated to various occupational groups such as, foreign Service of Pakistan, Inland Revenue Service, Audit and Accounts, Office Management and Information groups etc. but they preferred to stay in the Provincial Management Service by not joining the Federal Occupational group.
PMS Officers serving, as AC, DC, Commissioner, Head of Institutions and Administrative Secretaries of Provincial govt. have earned and attained laurels.
PMS service is manned by the officers with excellent academic record and professional backgrounds such as, doctors, engineers, law and business graduates, Ph.Ds etc. PMS officers attained and have achieved Post Graduate Degrees (M. Phil and Ph.D) on scholarships during the service from top notch international universities such as Oxford, Harvard etc. Some of the officers like Dr. Sohail Anwar Ch. A PMS Officer heading Pakistan Poverty Elevation Agency (Social Protection Authority) is the only Pakistani to have a doctorate degree in poverty and that too from prestigious Oxford University. There are many others as well who have such achievements to their credit.
Aside from the professional strength of the PMS which the worthy columnist appears to be oblivious of, it may not be out of place to mention that the posting of DMGs, being a Federal Service, against provincial posts is un-constitutional and pericardium especially after the 18thamendment which enunciates Provincial autonomy. The worthy columnist perhaps used the bizarre term inferior cadre keeping in view the posting profile of the DMG officers which is nothing but is a whammy and cliché developed over a period of time. No class is inferior or superior. All individuals joining the civil services are bound to serve the public as they draw their livelihood from public exchequer and are rightly termed as public servants. The notion of inferior and superior was successfully put to an end in the 70s when CSP class was done away with by creating common groups.
Allowing for the above and in the wake of ground realities the worthy columnist is requested not to be duped by using such derogatory and hideous remarks which may tarnish his image and reflect his lack of constitutional and legal knowledge.
SHAHID HUSSAIN,
Lahore, March 7.