ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has said that an officer eligible for promotion can be promoted even after retirement.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar issued a 5-page written decision in the case against former Additional IG Ghulam Qadir Thebo for not being promoted to Grade 22, in which the Supreme Court declared that not only is there a right to promotion, but every government employee has a fundamental right to be considered.

The Supreme Court in its decision declared the decision of the Sindh High Court null and void.

In its decision, the Supreme Court said that the High Powered Selection Board should hear the petitioner’s case again on merit in 2 months. The petitioner was a senior officer of the police service but was deprived of promotion 3 times. All the performance reports of the petitioner from 2013 to 2018 were excellent.

The Supreme Court further said in its decision that the High Powered Selection Board did not promote him without a solid reason. The reason for not getting the performance report for 2019 was the non-availability of field posting. An officer eligible for promotion can be promoted even after retirement.

The court wrote in the judgment that the negative remarks were included in the High Powered Selection Board minutes without any evidence. No allegation has been proven against the credibility of the petitioner. It is unfair to give justice to retired officers late. All government institutions should take transparent and prompt decisions in matters of promotion.