In a significant move to promote health and accountability within the federal bureaucracy, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a sweeping amendment requiring annual medical examinations for all federal government officers in grade 17 and above.

Under the new policy, these yearly health assessments will become a crucial factor in decisions related to the retention, training, nomination, and promotion of officers. The government aims to ensure early detection of health issues while evaluating officers’ suitability for higher responsibilities and specialized training.

Following the Prime Minister’s approval, the Establishment Division has issued immediate directives to all federal ministries, divisions, and provincial governments to implement the new policy without delay.

According to the guidelines, each officer’s annual medical report must be completed using a designated proforma and conducted exclusively by authorized medical officers at government teaching hospitals or district headquarters hospitals. The completed reports are to be submitted to the relevant ministry or cadre administrator by March 31 each year, with a certificate of completion also forwarded to the Establishment Division. Each officer’s medical evaluation will be maintained as a separate “medical roll” for official records.

In cases where an officer is found physically or mentally unfit, the matter will be referred to a medical board for further review. The final decision will rest with a review committee of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), which will submit its findings to the Prime Minister for approval.