ISLAMABAD: It has happened for the first time in the history of civil service that an officer has jumped from 18 to grade 21 within just two and a half years primarily because of his political connections.

The rise and rise of Raja Azeem-ul-Haq, son-in-law of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, is unprecedented as just a few years ago he was serving in grade 18 in the Income Tax Group but was first hired by Employees Old-age Benefit Institution in BPS-20 and soon after his father-in-law’s elevation as PM, he has also been elevated as Addition Secretary Internal Affairs in the PM Secretariat, a grade 21 post, The News has learnt on good authority.

It is worth mentioning here that Additional Secretary Internal affairs is an important post where the officer has to deal with the politicians who meet with the prime minister on almost daily basis.

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and Press Secretary to the PM did not reply to this correspondent’s calls and messages. However, an official at the PM Secretariat justified the elevation of Raja Azeem, who, according to him, is a competent and dedicated government servant. He said Raja Azeem is an experienced person and enjoys good reputation. He said it is not fair to deprive someone from what he deserves only because of his relationship. He said Raja Azim’s relationship with PM should not become a basis for his disqualification. He said he is confident that Raja Azeem would positively make great contribution while performing his duties at the PM Secretariat.

Officials in the PM Secretariat and in the office of Additional Secretary Internal Affairs confirmed that Raja Azeem has assumed the charge of Additional Secretary Internal Affairs in the PM Secretariat and now both, the Father-in-law and the son-in-law would sit in the same building.

The official telephone exchange of PM Secretariat (051-9206111) also confirmed that Raja Azeem has been posted as Additional Secretary in the secretariat of his father-in-law.

Interestingly, the Establishment Division denies having issued any notification of Raja Azeem. Sources say, instead of getting a notification issued from the Establishment Division, the Principal Secretary to PM has issued a notification of elevation of Raja Azeem as Additional Secretary using article 10 of the Civil Servant Act which deals with transfers and postings.

Details reveal that Raja Azeem was serving in grade 18 in the Income Tax Group when the Pakistan People’s Party came to power. Soon after his father-in-law was made the Minister for Water and Power, Raja Azeem got himself appointed in Private Power Infrastructure Board on a hefty package but instead of working in the PPIB, he used to work with his father-in-law, well placed sources revealed to this correspondent. Latter he resigned from PPIB and was inducted in the Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution in grade 20 courtesy, Zafar Iqbal Gondal, the Chairman EOBI and real brother of Federal Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal, the sources said.

Raja Azeem’s induction in EOBI was challenged in the Supreme Court along with hundreds of other appointments done by Zafar Gondal and the case is still pending in the apex court. Raja Azeem, soon after getting appointed in EOBI, was posted as Joint Secretary in the PM Secretariat on deputation. In May 2012 he was promoted in EOBI to grade 21 and on the basis of that promotion, he has been posted as Additional Secretary Internal Affairs in the PM Secretariat, the sources added.

The sources said that all the batch-mates of Raja Azeem are in grade 18 while he is in grade 21, which has happened for the first time in the history of civil service. The sources also mentioned that the Secretariat Group and District Management Group in the bureaucracy has severe reservations over PM’s son-in-law’s posting as Additional Secretary. They say now Raja’s induction in the Secretariat Group in BPS-21 is just a matter of days.

The sources said that one has to go back to his parent department to get promotion and officers on deputation normally revert back to their departments for claiming promotion but Raja Azeem has got promotion while remaining as a Joint Secretary on deputation.

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