In pursuance of the Administrative Reforms, it has been
decided to constitute another occupational group to be called "Information Group" which shall comprise all posts in the following Departments and Organizations and such posts in the *Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as may be specifically included in the Group:-

(i) Press Information Department and its Regional Information Offices.
(ii) Directorate of Research and Reference.
(iii) External Publicity Wing and its Offices in Pakistan Missions abroad.
(iv) Border Publicity Organization and its Regional Offices.
(v) Audit Bureau of Circulation and its Regional Offices.
(vi) Directorate of Economic Publicity.
(vii) Directorate of Films and Publications.

The group will be under the administrative control of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and will function within the following broad framework of rules and procedure.
2. The posts in Grade 17 and above included in the Information Group are detailed in the enclosed schedule (Annexure). The *Ministry of Information and Broadcasting may, after consultation with the Establishment Division, add to, or remove any post from the Schedule. In addition, there will be a leave, training and deputation reserve as follows:-
(1) Leave Reserve....10% of the duty posts.
(2) Training and Deputation reserve....10% of the duty posts.
*In the present context may be read as Ministry of Information & Media Development.
3. Grades 1 to 16.- Each Department and Organization will operate these posts as hithertofore. The existing instructions with regard to direct recruitment and promotion quotas, the composition of Promotion and Selection Committees, the Appointing Authorities for various Grades, etc., will continue to apply. All posts to be filled by direct recruitment will be advertised, except posts in Grade 16 which will be reported to the Federal Public Service Commission.
4. Grade 17.- Seventy-five per cent posts in Grade 17 will be filled through competitive examination conducted by the Federal Public Service Commission. After completion of training at the Academy for Administrative Training, the probationer officers allocated to the Information Group will undergo on-the-job departmental training to be followed by an examination prescribed by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
5. The remaining 25% posts will be filled by promotion on the basis of selection from amongst Grade 16 Officers of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Departments and Organizations included in the group.
6. Grade 18 and above.- The posts will be filled by promotion on the basis of selection from amongst eligible officers of the group in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules, 1973 and other instructions issued from time to time, or if no candidate is considered suitable from within the group by horizontal movement of suitably qualified and experienced officers from other groups. Government instructions regarding minimum length of service for eligibility for promotion to Grades 18, 19 and 20 will be observed.

7. Eligibility for senior posts in the Secretariat.- Officers of this group will be eligible for Secretariat posts i.e. Deputy Secretary and Joint Secretary, by horizontal movement, as well as by lateral entry through examination etc.
8. Lateral entry.- In order to meet shortage of officers in the
group or to meet specific requirements, appointment may be made in posts in the group in any Grade, by transfer from other groups or by recruitment through lateral entry of persons either in Government service or engaged in a profession or in the service of a corporation or private organization, who possess such professional qualifications and experience as may be prescribed from time to time. Such appointments shall be made through Federal Public Service Commission in consultation with the Establishment Division.
9. Seniority: (a) Grades 1 to 16.- In respect of Grades 1 to 16, separate seniority lists would be maintained for each Department and Organization included in the Information Group, as hithertofore, on the basis of continuous regular officiation in the Grade.
(b) Grade 17.- All officers of Grade 17 will be borne on a combined seniority list of the "Information Group". The inter se seniority of the direct recruits to Grade 17 will be determined on the basis of the order of merit of the probationers determined on the conclusion of training. The inter se seniority of officers promoted to Grade 17 will be determined with reference to the dates of their regular appointment in Grade 17 provided that officers who are selected for promotion to that Grade in one batch shall, on their promotion, retain their inter se seniority in the lower Grade. As for seniority of direct recruits viz-a-viz promoted officers, the direct recruits appointed in a particular year will, as a class, rank junior to the officers appointed by promotion on regular basis in that year.

(c) Grade 18 and above.- Seniority will be determined in each Grade from the date of regular appointment to the Grade; provided that officers who are selected for promotion to higher Grade in one batch shall, on their promotion to a higher Grade, retain their inter se seniority in the lower Grade. Those appointed by direct recruitment, if more than one person is selected in one batch, shall be assigned seniority in accordance with the order of merit determined at the time of selection provided the selected persons join within the prescribed time.
Note.- The seniority as already determined in various Grades
under the rules in force before the promulgation of the Civil Servants Ordinance, 1973 i.e. before 15-8-1973, shall not, as far as possible be disturbed. However, seniority of persons promoted to higher Grades on or after 15-8-73 shall be determined on the basis of the date of regular appointment to the Grade, provided that the persons who are selected for promotion to a higher Grade in one batch shall, on their promotion to the higher Grade, retain their inter se seniority in the lower Grade.
10. Provision for accelerated promotion to posts in Grade 17.- To enable bright young persons who have failed to secure through competitive examination conducted by Federal Public Service Commission direct entry to Grade 17 posts, or to get accelerated promotion within the Department, the following two provisions are made:-
(a) Those of age upto 30 years can appear in the competitive examination conducted by the Federal Public Service Commission provided they have put in at least 2 years service.
(b) There will also be a departmental examination under which departmental candidates will be considered for promotion to posts in Grade 17. All officials having a minimum of 5 years service in Grade 11 and above in the *Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Departments and Organizations, which are included in the Information Group, will be eligible to appear in this examination, provided they fulfil the prescribed
*In the present context may be read as Ministry of Information & Media Development.
conditions. The upper age limit for this examination will be 45 years for the first examination, 40 years for the next examination and 35 years for all subsequent
examinations.
The *Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will prepare a scheme for the departmental examination at (b) above and obtain the approval of Establishment Division. Subject to availability of suitable departmental candidates, promotion on accelerated basis through the above examination will be limited to a maximum of 25% of the total vacancies and these promotions will be reckoned against the direct recruitment quota.
11. The existing arrangements with regard to personnel management will continue under the over-all supervision of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting who will prepare gradation lists of all officers in Grade 17 and above. Each Department under the *Ministry of Information and Broadcasting included in the group will prepare, issue and maintain seniority lists in respect of Grade 16 and above.
12. The *Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will submit periodical reports to the Establishment Secretary. Any major difficulties which may arise in the implementation of these instructions will be resolved in a meeting of the Establishment Secretary and the Secretary, *Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
[Authority.- Estt. Division O.M. No. 2/8/75-ARC, dated 17-6-1977].
*In the present context may be read as Ministry of Information & Media Development.
ANNEXURE
*SCHEDULE SHOWING POSTS IN BPS 17 AND
ABOVE INCLUDED IN THE INFORMATION GROUP
1182
WING/ NOMENCLATURE BPS NO.OF
DEPARTMENT OF POST POSTS
1 2 3 4 1. Audit Bureau of Director 19 1
Circulation, Deputy Director 18 1
(Headquarters, Assistant Director 17 1
Islamabad)
Audit Bureau of Assistant Directors 17 4
Circulation,
(Lahore/Karachi/
Peshawar/Quetta). Total : 7
2. External Publicity Director General 21 1
Wing, Islamabad. Minister (Informa- 20 2
tion)(London/New Delhi)
Directors 19 4
Press Counselors 19 8
(Bonn, Cairo, Dhaka,
New York, Paris, Riyadh,
Tehran, Washington)
Deputy Directors 18 6
Press Attaches 18 17 (Abu Dhabi, Colombo,
Canberra, Beijing,
Ankara, Jeddah,
Kuala-Lumpur,Kuwait
London, New Delhi,
Nairobi, Ottawa, Rome,
Tokyo,Hong Kong,
Jakarta, Washington)
Assistant Directors 17 7 Total : 45
3. Internal Publicity Director General 20 1
Directors 19 3
Deputy Directors 18 2
Assistant Directors 17 3
Total: 9
*Subs vide Ministry of Information and Media Development O.M.No.1(5)/92-IC, dated 24-7-1993.
1183
1 2 3 4
4. Information Director General 20 1
Service Academy Directors 19 2
Deputy Directors 18 3
Total : 6
5. Press Information Director General 21 1
Department Dy. Directors Genl. 20 2
(Headquarters), Directors 19 7
Islamabad. Deputy Directors 18 12
Assistant Directors/ 17 32
Information Officers
PID (Regional Director 19 1
Information Deputy Directors 18 3
Office), Lahore
PID (Sub-Office) Deputy Directors 18 2
Multan/Faisalabad Information Officers 17 2
PID (Regional Assistant Directors/ 17 5
Information Information Officers
Office) Lahore Total : 13
PID (Regional Director 19 1
Information Deputy Directors 18 2
Office) Karachi
PID (Sub-Office) Deputy Director 18 1
Hyderabad Information Officer 17 1
PID (Regional Information Officers/ 17 6
Information Assistant Directors
Office)Karachi Total: 11
PID (Regional Director 19 1
Information Deputy Directors 18 2
Office) Research Officer 17 1
Peshawar Information Officers 17 2
1184
PID (Sub- Information Officer 17 1
Office) D.I. Khan Total: 7
PID (Regional Director 19 1
Information Deputy Directors 18 2
Office) Quetta Information Officers 17 2
Total: 5
PID (Regional Deputy Director 18 1
Information Information Officer 17 1
Office) Gilgit
1 2 3 4
PID (Sub-Office) Information Officer 17 1
Chilas
Total: 3
6. Directorate of Director General 20 1
Films and Directors 19 2
Publications Deputy Directors 18 2
(Headquarters)IBD.
DFP (Lahore Deputy Director 18 1
Office) Assistant Directors 17 2
Directorate of Assistant Directors 17 4
Films and
Publications
(Headquarters)IBD. Total: 12
7. Directorate General Director General 20 1
(Research and Directors 19 3
Reference) Ibd. Deputy Directors 18 9
Assistant Directors 17 11
Total: 24
8. Central Zakat Deputy Director 18 1
Administration (To be paid by
Finance Div., Ibd. Central Zakat
Administration)
1185
Grand Total: 197
(Besides there will be 10% deputation reserve and 10% leave reserve in each pay scale).