Out-of-turn promotion: SC seeks service profiles of 8 police officers

The Supreme Court on Monday issued directives to the Punjab government to submit service profile of eight police officers who were given out of turn promotion. Resuming the hearing of the matter, a three-member bench led by Justice Amir Hani Muslim also issued directives to the Advocate General Punjab to appear before the court in the matter on the next date of hearing with details pertaining to orders for the promotion of the police officers.
Appearing before the court on behalf of the petitioner, Khawaja Haris pleaded that in view of the Supreme Court's judgement, the Punjab Home Department had demoted his clients. Haris apprised the bench that the provincial home department was re-examining the cases of the police officers including Muhammad Umar Virk, Rana Shahid Pervaiz, Awais Malik and Ejaz Shafi.
It is important to mention here that the Supreme Court in December 2016 had dismissed review petitions of over two dozens police officers, who were affected by its 26th January 2016 verdict through which secretary Establishment Division, home secretary and inspector general of police, Punjab, were directed to fix seniority of all the police officers given out of turn promotions, along with their batch-mates, as if they were never given out of turn promotion.
The court had also directed that orders of withdrawal of out of turn promotion, passed by the department/competent authority, shall be recalled against the police officers who had promoted out of turn promotions, pursuant to the judgements of superior courts/service tribunals.
It said that for the purpose of compliance of the judgement necessary DPC/Board, as the case may be, immediately be held without further loss of time and a compliance report be submitted to the registrar of this court for the perusal of judges in chambers. This exercise shall be completed within one month. The hearing of the matter was adjourned till March 27.