Punjab assistant professors await promotions

Source: The Nation

ISLAMABAD - Delays in the much awaited promotions of Assistant Professors to the posts of Associate Professors in BS 19 is creating disappointment among the college teachers working with higher education department (HED) Punjab. According to the well-placed sources, the much awaited process on promotions had been initiated during August 2023, and the then chief min­ister Punjab, Syed Mohsan Naqvi, as the competent authority on Dec 11, 2023, had endorsed the recom­mendations and cleared over 313 assitant professors for promotion to the next grade i.e. BS 19.

However, with the announcement of the schedule of the general elections 2024, the Election Com­mission of Pakistan imposed ban on transfers and postings, and the authorities kept the process on the back burner till Feb 08. However, after the com­pletion of the election process, hope for promotion revived in the hearts of the professors and on Feb 29 the promotions of associate professors to por­fessors (female) BS 20 were notified and it was ex­pected that the fate of over 313 assistant professors (male) would also be notified with due promotions in couple of days. However, the newly elected Chief Minister Ms Maryam Nawaz Sharif, after assuming the offices imposed ban on transfers and postings on March 01. However, the next day reshuffling of the secretaries of administrative departments led to posting of a new secretary for higher education department Punjab, and the expected process of no­tifying promotions was again held in limbo.

The representatives of Punjab Professors and Lecturers Association are also seen moving from pillor to post in the higher education department.

The educational circles have urged upon CM to take notice of inadvertent delays notifying the pro­motions already cleared by the competent author­ity of the chief minister Punjab.