PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa establishment department has taken several steps to resolve complaints of the Provincial Civil Service (PCS) officers.

Earlier in May this year, hundreds of PCS/PMS of ficers had gone on pen-down strike for over two weeks to press for acceptance of their demands, including promotion and nomination for training courses.

Details shared with Dawn by the establishment department officials said that the PCS Officers Association during a meeting with the chief secretary in May had presented him a charter of demands. A few days later, the KP chief minister also formed a cabinet committee headed by senior minister Sikandar Sherpao to address the PCS officers` concerns.

The sources said that during past one year the establishment department had promoted 193 provincial officers, which was more than the number of officers promoted over a decade.

`During 2016, a total of six Provincial Selection Boards (PSBs) were held,` they said.

Also during the same period, 56 officers were nominated for training courses, while 67 posts were included in the schedule.

The sources said that the establishment department had moved a summary to the chief minister calling for repatriating all deputationists working on cadre posts, while 67 posts had been included in the schedule-II so that the PCS officers could be posted against these. Also, 42 other posts are to be included in the schedule-II and for this purpose the departments concerned have been asked to frame or amend rules.

The sources said that all the secretaries were asked to repatriate deputationists working in their departments and so far seven ex-cadre officials had been sent to their parent departments. The government will post the newly-promoted provincial officers against these posts.

According to details shared by the establishment department, 20 federal government officers and 26 provincial officers are currently working against cadre posts in the province, who would be repatriated to their parent departments.

About the parity vis-à-vis PMS vs PAS (Pakistan Administrative Service), the details show that currently of the total 40 secretaries 17 belong to PAS and 16 to PCS while seven seats are vacant. Among 12 special secretaries, one belongs to PAS and nine are from PCS/PMS with two seats still vacant.

Of the seven commissioners three are from PAS and four from PCS, while of seven additional commissioners four belong to PCS and three posts are vacant. Of the 25 deputy commissioners 15 belong to PAS and 10 to PCS.

All the seven political agents belong to PAS while of seven additional political agents two are from PAS and three from PCS. Two posts are vacant. Of 25 assistant political agents, 23 belong to PCS and two to PAS, while of 57 assistant commissioners 45 are from PCS and 11 from PAS.

The sources said that at least eight PCS officers had been facing formal inquires. They said that revision of apportionment formula of schedule-II falls in the domain of the provincial assembly, while a proposal to set up a permanent cabinet standing committee to address the officers` grievances was also under consideration.