Cabinet Division Starts Probe Against Faulty DG PSQCA Appointment Process

The Cabinet Division has initiated an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the appointment process of the Director General (DG) of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), following the recent conclusion of interviews by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) under suspicious circumstances. Sources told ProPakistani that the Cabinet Division has issued a memorandum asking the Ministry of Science to respond to complaints and reports regarding irregularities in the selection process, as raised by several potential candidates for the post. The memorandum (3-1/2022-E-8), dated October 1, 2024, calls for an investigation into the alleged irregularities and demands the ministry provide details regarding the claims made by the complainants. Sources indicated that the complaints came from candidates who participated in the interview process, questioning the adherence to MP-I scale rules. Concerns were raised following the initial interview round held on June 25, 2024, involving around 40 candidates. After completing the process, a panel of three candidates was expected to be proposed for final selection. However, the results of these interviews were never announced, and a second round of interviews took place on September 19-20, 2024, involving the same candidates. This unusual decision, despite the earlier process being completed, has raised concerns about favoritism. Allegations of favoritism were further amplified when Dr. H.U. Khan, a controversial figure, was listed as the top candidate. Dr. Khan had been subjected to a major penalty of compulsory retirement from the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) in 2017 for misconduct, a decision upheld by the Islamabad High Court. Despite this, he was reinstated on June 17, 2021, after an inquiry during the tenure of the previous government led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The reinstatement was considered illegal by many, as it bypassed relevant court rulings and was time-barred for over three years. Sources also revealed that the federal minister was reportedly unaware of Dr. Khan’s legal status, relying on information from his director, Ishtiaq Tareen, who is known to be a close ally of Dr. Khan and a staunch PTI supporter. Other candidates in the panel, including Zain ul Abideen, also faced scrutiny, with claims that they lacked essential skills in finance, accounting, and drafting. Given the concerns surrounding the process, there are growing calls to scrap the current selection procedure and re-advertise the position to ensure a transparent, merit-based appointment.