KARACHI – The matter of the controversial promotions of junior officers to grades 17, 18 and 19 in the Malir Development Authority has not yet been resolved, as the request for an inquiry into the matter is still pending with the chief secretary. From 2002 to 2009, as many as 10 officers, who came from the former city district government Karachi (CDGK), were given promotions in an “arbitrary” manner, ignoring senior staffers working with the MDA since long. Two years ago, MDA Assistant Director Lal Muhammad Birohi lodged a request with the chief secretary for a probe into the controversial promotions. But, his efforts have drawn a blank as the chief secretary is yet to act.Birohi, in his application, submitted that his juniors got double, even triple promotions. “After their postings to the MDA, they (junior officers) were promoted to grade-17, 18 and 19 posts illegally.” In his application, Birohi detailed that a grade-16 officer, Abdul Nasir Khan, who joined the MDA as an assistant, got promotions in a hasty manner. “He is currently working in grade-19.” Similarly, another officer, Faiz Ahmed, who joined the MDA as divisional accountant in grade-16, was promoted to grade 17 and then 18. Posted as an accounts assistant, Muhammad Yasin was also promoted to grade-18 in a short period of time. Other junior officers who got promotions hastily included Anees Ahmed, Junaid Masood Rashidi, Shahbuddin Sabir, Muhammad Arshad Khan, Qamaruddin and Muhammad Yousaf. All these six officials are working in grade-18.