Punjab PMS officers oppose plan to create 101 AAC posts

The Provincial Management Service (PMS) Officers Association has strongly opposed the Punjab

LAHORE: The Provincial Management Service (PMS) Officers Association has strongly opposed the Punjab government’s proposal to create 101 new Additional Assistant Commissioner (AAC) posts, describing the move as unnecessary and harmful to the existing administrative structure.

The association argued that the AAC posts had been abolished years ago and their revival was not justified, particularly after the establishment of the Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (PERA), which was created to strengthen enforcement and regulatory functions across the province.

During an executive committee meeting chaired by Association President Qamar Zaman Qaisrani, members unanimously decided to raise their concerns with senior government officials. A delegation of the association is expected to meet the Punjab services secretary and the additional chief secretary to seek a review of the proposed decision.

The association warned that if its concerns remain unaddressed, PMS officers across Punjab will begin a province-wide protest campaign. As part of the first phase, officers plan to wear black armbands while performing official duties to register their protest against the government’s decision.

PMS officers believe the creation of the new posts would place a significant financial burden on the provincial treasury. According to the association’s estimates, establishing one Additional Assistant Commissioner post, including official facilities, office infrastructure, staff, transport and operational expenses, would cost approximately Rs46.8 million. They claim that creating all 101 posts would require nearly Rs4.73 billion initially, in addition to recurring expenditures on salaries, allowances and other administrative costs.

The association further expressed concerns over what it described as long-standing issues within the provincial bureaucracy. These include delays in promotion boards, alleged discrimination in transfers and postings, and the appointment of junior officers to positions traditionally reserved for senior officials.

Former administrative secretary Yawar Mehdi also commented on the proposal, saying that efforts to improve public service delivery were welcome if they genuinely strengthened governance. However, he stressed that introducing additional administrative positions should not weaken the existing civil service structure or negatively affect the career progression of Provincial Management Service officers.