ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) is facing criticism yet again as it contemplates appointment a controversial candidate as Director General (DG) Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), in sheer violation of MP-1 rules governing the process.
According to reliable sources, the Federal Minister of MoST, who recently received a contempt of court notice for disregarding court directives, has chosen Nasir Baloch as the candidate for the DG position. Baloch was among over 70 candidates shortlisted by the ministry for the role.
However, concerns have been raised regarding Baloch’s qualification and experience. Documents reveal that the proposed candidate lacks the necessary credentials for the technical post of DG. Despite hesitation from ministry officials to forward Baloch’s name to the Establishment Division or the cabinet for approval, sources claim that the minister is pressuring them to appoint Baloch as DG even before the related case is heard at the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The controversy surrounding the appointment of DG PSQCA gained momentum last week when the IHC issued contempt of court notices to the minister and secretary of MoST. During the proceedings, it came to light that the department had been filling the DG position on an acting basis for more than 14 years. Advocate Saifur Rehman, the petitioner’s counsel, presented compelling evidence before Justice Babar Sattar, exposing the long-standing practice of acting appointments for the DG PSQCA position.
Sources indicate that the ministry intends to appoint one of the previously shortlisted candidates to inform the court that a regular head of PSQCA has been appointed. However, officials argue that the shortlisting process itself raised suspicions, as it allegedly violated the rules of appointment on the MP-1 scale. The ministry shortlisted only nine candidates out of over 98 applicants, a move deemed as a procedural violation by an official rules.
Furthermore, concerns have been raised about the interview and selection process. The absence of the ministry’s secretary, who also serves as the secretary of the election committee, after the retirement of the previous secretary, led to an additional secretary overseeing the process. This deviation from the established rules is considered contradictory and irregular.
Earlier, reports indicated that the shortlisted candidates lacked the technical expertise and experience requisite for the DG PSQCA position. It was alleged that candidates with relevant qualifications and experience were either pushed down the list or not shortlisted due to political considerations.
Dr Shahzad Afzal, a renowned expert in standardization and conformity assessment, raised objections to his exclusion from the shortlisted candidates for the DG post. Dr Afzal, previously ranked among the top five candidates, accused PSQCA and MoST of violating the Management Position Scale Policy 2020 and the PSQCA Act 1996. He has requested an interview call letter in accordance with the policy to ensure that justice is served in the matter.
The appointment of DG PSQCA has been marred by controversy, and the matter is currently sub-judice with the IHC (WP 761/2022 and WP 4070/2021). Dr Afzal, who holds international recognition in the field, alleged that political grounds influenced the decision to exclude him from the shortlisted candidates.
Dr Afzal’s international recognition has been acknowledged by reputable standardization bodies such as ASTM International (USA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (USA), and the International Organization for Standardization (Switzerland).
However, an official source at MoST claims that a scrutiny committee shortlisted nine candidates out of 98 applicants based on eligibility criteria.
