The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has restrained the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) from proceeding with its new recruitment drive, suspending implementation of the recruitment advertisement until the final decision in the case. Following the court’s order, Azad Digital has brought to light key details related to the recruitment process.
According to an investigative report by Azad Digital, the petitioner, Constable Shafiq, allegedly has a record of submitting fake medical documents and securing preferred postings through influence over an extended period. The report claims his petition is aimed at disrupting the merit-based recruitment process.
It is pertinent to mention that the next hearing in the case has been fixed for August 22, 2026. Justice Muhammad Azam Khan issued the written order on an application filed by ANF Constable Muhammad Shafiq Khan.
The petitioner made the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice, and the Director General ANF respondents in the case, arguing that despite serving as a constable for the past 10 years, he has not been promoted.
The petition states that initiating direct recruitment without first convening the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) and considering eligible serving employees for promotion is not legally justified.
According to media reports, the petitioner is ranked 232nd on the seniority list of 665 constables and contends that direct recruitment could affect the promotion prospects of serving personnel.
He also requested the court to order the immediate constitution of a DPC, consider eligible employees for promotion against vacant posts, and review the system governing officers serving on deputation or temporary transfer from other departments.
After the preliminary hearing, the court suspended implementation of the recruitment advertisement and restrained the ANF from taking further action.
Sources told Azad Digital that the ANF considers the petition premature and contrary to the facts.
According to the sources, the Departmental Promotion Committee has already met three times—in September 2024, January 2025, and January 2026—and another meeting is planned before completion of the current recruitment process to consider all eligible employees for promotion.
The sources further said the ongoing recruitment is not being conducted for posts reserved for departmental promotion, but for vacancies that, under the rules, can only be filled through direct recruitment. Therefore, the recruitment process will not affect the seniority or promotion rights of serving personnel.
It is worth mentioning that appointments on deputation or temporary transfer are governed by the 2010 Appointment, Promotion and Transfer Rules, and any amendments to these rules fall within the authority of the Establishment Division or the federal cabinet.
The sources added that the interim order was issued before the ANF’s detailed response was heard. The force is preparing to seek an early hearing and present its legal and administrative position before the court.
According to the sources, the ANF will request the court to vacate the stay order so that the 2026 recruitment process can be completed on schedule.
The petitioner, who belongs to Mianwali, remained posted in Punjab for nearly nine of his 11 years of service before being transferred to Balochistan in 2024.
Sources further claimed that in 2025, one of his annual increments was withheld over alleged unauthorized absence and the submission of purportedly fake medical documents. The petitioner has the legal right to respond to these allegations and present his version.
The ANF is the federal agency responsible for combating drug trafficking, illicit narcotics distribution, proceeds from drug-related crimes, and other related offences.
The current ANF was established on February 21, 1995, through the merger of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force and the Pakistan Narcotics Control Board.
The purpose of the new recruitment drive is to fill vacant posts and strengthen the force’s operational capacity, while the departmental promotion system governs the career progression, seniority, and legal promotion rights of serving employees.
According to the sources, the core dispute is whether the advertised vacancies fall under the direct recruitment quota or whether they could adversely affect the promotion opportunities of serving personnel.
What does the law say?
The Islamabad High Court’s order does not determine which party is right or wrong. It is an interim order intended to temporarily halt the recruitment process and prevent any potential harm that could be difficult to reverse once the court delivers its final judgment.
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