Grade 22 (also referred to as BPS-Apex) is the highest attainable rank for a Civil Servant in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

. Grade 22 is equal to a 4-star rank of the

Pakistan Armed Forces The Pakistan Armed Forces (; ) are the military forces of Pakistan. It is the world's sixth-largest military measured by active military personnel and consist of three formally uniformed services—the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, which are ...

. With over five hundred thousand civil servants and bureaucrats in Pakistan, only a few dozen officers serve in BPS-22 grade at a given time. Hence, not even 0.008% of the country's civil servants and/or bureaucrats make it to the highest rank. Officers serving in BPS-22 grade are largely considered to be the most influential individuals in the country. Pak Secretariat buildings,Islamabad by Usman Ghani

Pak Secretariat buildings,Islamabad by Usman Ghani

Each officer who reaches Grade-22 has, on average, a civil service career spanning over 30 years to 32 years. Elevation to Grade-22 is decided by the High Powered Selection Board (HPSB), which is chaired by the

Prime Minister of Pakistan The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Paki ...

. Other ex-officio members of the Board, who advise the PM on promotions, are the

Establishment Secretary of Pakistan The Establishment Secretary of Pakistan is the Federal Secretary for the Establishment Division and is in charge of the transfers, postings as well as promotions in the country's civil service. The position holder is a BPS-22 Officer, usually ...

, the

Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan The cabinet secretary of Pakistan (Urdu: ) is the federal secretary to the Cabinet of Pakistan. The Cabinet secretary serves as the administrative head of the Cabinet Division, providing policy advice to the prime minister and Cabinet. Usually ...

and the

Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan (also referred to as PSPM or PM's Chief of Staff) is the administrative head and highest-ranking official of the Prime Minister's Office. The position holder is usually an officer belongi ...

.{{cite news, url=https://www.tribune.com.pk/story/777192/postings-and-transfers-10-promoted-to-grade-22-another-14-reshuffled/?amp=1, title=Postings and transfers: 10 promoted to grade-22, another 14 reshuffled , newspaper=

The Express Tribune ''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...

, access-date=14 July 2018 The following key positions in the country are occupied by Grade-22 Officials: * Secretary to the Government of Pakistan * Chief Secretary to a Provincial Government *Director General/ Chairman of a large state-owned corporation or agency such as the

Federal Board of Revenue The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) ( ur, ), formerly known as Central Board of Revenue (CBR), is a federal law enforcement agency of Pakistan that investigates tax crimes, suspicious accumulation of wealth, money-laundering make regulation of ...

Federal Investigation Agency The Federal Investigation Agency ( ur, ; reporting name: FIA) is a border control, criminal investigation, counter-intelligence and security agency under the control of the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, tasked with investigative jurisdi ...

, Intelligence Bureau, etc. *

Inspector General of Police An Inspector General of Police is a senior police officer in the police force or police service of several nations. The rank usually refers to the head of a large regional command within a police service, and in many countries refers to the most se ...

*Special Secretary to the Government of Pakistan

Prominent Grade 22 officers (serving and retired)

*Sahibzada Riaz Noor *

Roedad Khan Roedad Khan ( Urdu: روئیداد خان; born 28 September 1923) is a Pakistani politician and former civil servant. He was a leading figure in Pakistan from the start to the end of the Cold War. During his long career, Khan was one of the mo ...

Usman Ali Isani Usman Ali Isani is a former senior Pakistani bureaucrat, educationist and a philatelist. He was born in 1934 in his village Bado of Shikarpur District. He is alumnus of Prince of Wales Royal Military College Dheradhoon. Later, after the Indo-Pak ...

*Murlidhar Gangwani *

Shehzad Arbab Muhammad Shehzad Arbab is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served as Advisor to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Establishment from August 2018 to 10 April 2022. Before his retirement from civil services, Arbab served in BPS-22 grade as the ...

Nasir Mahmood Khosa Nasir Mahmood Khosa is a retired Pakistani civil servant from Dera Ghazi Khan who belonged to the Pakistan Administrative Service and served in BPS-22 grade, the highest attainable rank for a serving officer. He was promoted to the rank of Fed ...

Tariq Bajwa Tariq Bajwa is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the Finance Secretary and Economic Affairs Secretary of Pakistan. Bajwa also served as the 19th Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and the 20th Chairman of th ...

* Rizwan Ahmed *

Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad Babar Yaqoob Fateh Muhammad is a retired Pakistani civil servant who serves as chairman of the Federal Land Commission of Pakistan (with status of a Federal Minister), in office since April 2020. Previously, he served in BPS-22 grade as the Cab ...

Maroof Afzal Maroof Afzal (died 10 December 2020) was a Pakistani civil servant who belonged to the Pakistan Administrative Service and served as the Establishment Secretary and Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan. Biography He served in BPS-22 grade as the Cabi ...

Azam Suleman Khan Maj (r) Azam Suleman Khan ( ur, میجر (ر) اعظم سلیمان خان ) is a retired Pakistani civil servant who serves as the Ombudsman of Punjab. He previously served in BPS-22 grade as the Interior Secretary of Pakistan, Chief Secreta ...

Shoaib Mir Memon Shoaib Mir Memon is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the Education Secretary of Pakistan and Chief Secretary Balochistan. Memon belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and was promoted to the rank of Fede ...

Mir Ahmed Bakhsh Lehri Mir Ahmed Bakhsh Lehri is a retired Pakistani civil servant of the Pakistan Administrative Service who served in BPS-22 grade as the Establishment Secretary of Pakistan and Chief Secretary Balochistan. Lehri is the most decorated federal secret ...

Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade (highest attainable rank for a serving officer) as the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan. Sukhera did his Bachelor's degree in Economics from the London Sch ...

Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqi Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqi is a Pakistani civil servant who serves in BPS-22 grade as the Commerce Secretary of Pakistan, in office since July 2020. Faruqi belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and was promoted to the rank of Federal ...

Sajjad Saleem Hotiana Sajjad Saleem Hotiana ( ur, سجاد سلیم ہوتیانہ) is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as Chief Secretary Sindh. Hotiana also served as Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan and Senior Member Federal Land Commi ...

Raja Muhammad Abbas Raja Muhammad Abbas (born 20 December 1953) is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the Federal Secretary Ministry of Interior, Board of Investment, & Ministry of Housing & Works. Interior Secretary of Pakistan and C ...

Arshad Sami Khan Arshad Sami Khan (Urdu: ); (January 8, 1942 – June 22, 2009) was a Pakistani diplomat, civil servant and fighter pilot who at peak of his career attained the highest rank of Federal Secretary. He started his career as a Pakistan Air Force f ...

Allah Bakhsh Malik Allah Bakhsh Malik is a social scientist, public policy advisor, academic, researcher, and author with experience in management, education and institutional and human development. He served as Secretary for Education during 2017-2019. Malik was c ...

Kamran Rasool Kamran Rasool (born April 9, 1948) is a retired Pakistani civil servant belonging to the Pakistan Administrative Service who served in BPS-22 grade as the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan, Chief Secretary Punjab and later on as the Defence Secre ...

Jawad Rafique Malik Jawad Rafique Malik (Urdu: جواد رفیق ملک) is a Pakistani civil servant who serves in BPS-22 grade as Industries Secretary of Pakistan. Hailing from Lahore, Malik belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and is batchmates with ...

* Syed Abu Ahmad Akif *

Sikandar Sultan Raja Sikandar Sultan Raja is a retired Pakistani civil servant who serves as the Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, in office since January 2020. He belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and is batchmates with Rizwan Ahmed, Hussain Asg ...

Tasneem Noorani Tasneem Noorani is a retired Pakistani civil servant who has served in BPS-22 grade as the Interior Secretary and Commerce Secretary of Pakistan. Education Tasneem attended Pakistan Air Force School Sargodha for high school from 1956 to 1 ...

Shahjehan Syed Karim Shahjehan Syed Karim was a Pakistani civil servant and educator who served in Grade 22, BPS-22 grade as the Information Secretary of Pakistan and Chief Secretary Sindh. He is best known as founder of Institute of Business Management, one of Paki ...

Iqbal Hussain Durrani Iqbal Hussain Durrani is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the National Security Secretary of Pakistan. Durrani belongs to the Pakistan Administrative Service and is the son-in-law of former Chief Minister of Si ...

* Hussain Asghar *

Allah Dino Khawaja Allah Dino Khawaja ( A.D. Khawaja) () is a Pakistani police officer who serves in BPS-22 grade as the Federal Secretary for Ministry of Human Rights. A.D Khawaja is batchmates with prominent bureaucrats namely Fawad Hasan Fawad (PAS), Rizwan ...

Fawad Hasan Fawad Fawad Hasan Fawad ( ur, ) (born 14 January 1960) is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the Principal Secretary to two Prime Ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Fawad belongs to the Pakistan Adminis ...

Kamran Lashari Kamran Lashari is a retired Pakistani civil servant of the Pakistan Administrative Service who served in BPS-22 grade as the Petroleum Secretary of Pakistan and Chief Secretary Sindh. Lashari is best known for his five-year stint as chairman of ...

Qudrat Ullah Shahab Qudrat Ullah Shahab (or Qudratullah Shahab, ur, ; 26 February 191724 July 1986) was an eminent Urdu writer and civil servant from Pakistan. Shahab holds the distinction of having served as the Principal Secretary to three heads o ...

Mumtaz Ali Shah Mumtaz Ali Shah is a retired Pakistani civil servant who served in BPS-22 grade as the Maritime Secretary of Pakistan and Chief Secretary Sindh. Hailing from Sindh, Shah joined the Pakistan Administrative Service after passing the Central Su ...

Ghulam Ishaq Khan Ghulam Ishaq Khan ( ur, غلام اسحاق خان; 20 January 1915 – 27 October 2006), was a Pakistani bureaucrat who served as the seventh president of Pakistan, elected in 1988 following Zia's death until his resignation in 1993. He wa ...

Jalil Abbas Jilani Jalil Abbas Jilani is a retired Pakistani diplomat who served in Grade 22 as the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan. He is currently serving as the Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs, in office since 17 August 2023. He was born on February 3, 195 ...

Rabiya Javeri Agha Rabiya Javeri Agha (born Rabiya Adila Javeri on December 2, 1963) is the Chairperson of the National Commission for Human Rights in Pakistan and a retired civil servant officer who served in the Government of Pakistan in BPS-22 grade as Federal S ...

* Syed Hassan Raza * Aftab Ghulam Nabi Kazi * Iftikharuddin khattak * Sohail Mahmood * Abdul Basit (diplomat) *

Riaz Mohammad Khan Riaz Mohammad Khan holds a master's degree in mathematics and a B.A. (honors) from Punjab University, Lahore. Prior to joining Pakistan's Foreign Service in 1969, Khan taught quantum physics from 1965 to 1969 as assistant professor in the Mathem ...

* Javid Husain *

Inam-ul-Haq (diplomat) Inam-ul-Haq (born 10 November 1940)Shamshad Ahmad Shamshad Ahmad ( ur, ) (born 10 December 1941) is a veteran Pakistani diplomat, international relations expert and an author who served in BPS-22 grade as the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan from 1997 to 2000. He also served as the Permanent ...

Riaz Khokhar Riaz Hussain Khokhar ( ur, ریاض کھو کھر) (born 31 December 1942)Masood Khan Masood Khan () is a Pakistani-Kashmiri diplomat who is currently serving as Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States. Khan also served as the 27th President of Azad Kashmir. Khan joined the Foreign Service of Pakistan in 1980. From August 2 ...

Najmuddin Shaikh Najmuddin Shaikh ( ur, نجم الدین شیخ) (born 4 September 1939) served as the Pakistani ambassador to United States (1990–1991) and later served as Foreign Secretary of Pakistan (1994 - 1997). Education and family He received his bac ...

Tanvir Ahmad Khan Tanvir Ahmad Khan (12 June 1932 – 16 November 2013) was a career diplomat from Pakistan.Humayun Khan (diplomat) * Niaz Naik * Abdul Sattar (diplomat) *

Agha Shahi Agha Shahi ( ur, آغا شا ﮨی; 25 August 1920 – 6 September 2006), ''NI'', was a Pakistani career Foreign service officer who was the leading civilian figure in the military government of former President General Zia-ul-Haq from 1977 t ...

Jalaludin Abdur Rahim Jalaluddin Abdur Rahim ( Urdu: جلال الدين عبدالرحيم; Bengali: জালালুদ্দিন আবদুর রহিম; also known as J. A. Rahim) (27 July 1906 – 1977) was a Bengali communist and political philosopher ...

Nasir Durrani Nasir Khan Durrani (17 March 1957 – 19 April 2021) was a Pakistani police officer belonging to the 10th CTP who served in BPS-22 grade. Biography Durrani was highly regarded as an honest police officer in the country. In September 2013, ...

Nargis Sethi Nargis Sethi ( ur, ) is a retired Pakistani civil service officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service who served in BPS-22 grade as the Cabinet Secretary of Pakistan and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Other heavy ...

* Tehmina Janjua * Fazal-ur-Rehman *

Salman Bashir Salman Bashir ( ur, سلمان بشیر ) (born 4 March 1952) is a Pakistani diplomat who served as the Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and as the High Commissioner of Pakistan to India. Government of Pakistan