PIC’s landmark judgment: Civil servants conferred upon access to theirs PERs, ACRs

ISLAMABAD, Sep 29 (SABAH):  Civilian officers have been conferred upon access to their performance evaluation reports (PERs) or annual case reviews (ACRs).

Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) after considering all aspects came to conclusion that “performance evaluation reports are not confidential records for the relevant officer and as such officer is entitled for the copies of the records and allowed the appeal and directed the administration of Survey of Pakistan to supply the copies of records.”

“ACRs and reports of various courses cannot be regarded as confidential for the officer concerned or the officer and staff in chain maintaining the same,” PIC’s judgment states.

 It further stated, “ACRs are deemed to result cards/ mark sheets for the period under report and in case such reports are not supplied to the officer concerned such officer cannot endeavor for its further improvements.”

“Dictates of justice requires that copies of such report be made available to all such officers and staff which shall help the system in maintaining transparent records,” it added.

It is learnt from reliable sources that a group of civilian officers hailed the judgment passed by the Pakistan Information Commission regarding supply of copies of performance evaluation reports to the officer concerned.

As per details, in an appeal wherein an officer named Sanaullah, deputy director of survey of Pakistan prayed for supply of copies of performance evaluation reports commonly known as ACRs along with reports of Mid Career Management Course (MCMC) but the department concerned contended that such records being confidential in nature cannot be supplied to the officer concerned.

During the course of arguments appellant Sanaullah while highlighting the classification of records as general, confidential, secret, restricted convinced the bench that classification of records as  confidential, secret, and restricted are based upon number of aspects and such records are not confidential, secret and restricted to everyone.

Bar of such classification is based upon certain principles and due to such principles the access is restricted to some group of peoples such as, under Civil Servants Acts, disciplinary proceedings are regarded as confidential but the records are not confidential for the accused civil servant or the officers and staff in chain proceeding with the matter.

Concerned department avoided compliance of the order and Pakistan Information Commission was constrained to take punitive steps and accordingly issued show-cause notice dated August 16, 2022 and summoned the Surveyor General of Pakistan in personal capacity thereafter records of ACRs was supplied to the officer concerned.

Since, it took 75 years for the judicial system in Pakistan to set an exclusive principle for supply of copies of PERs/ACRs and confidential reports to the officers concerned, therefore, a group of officers appreciated the efforts made by the Pakistan Information Commission and opined that such decision will play prominent role in career advancement in a transparent manner and shall discourage manipulation of records under the cover of confidential / secret and restricted titles  and considered the decision to pave way in administration of justice and fair play.