ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has submitted a summary to the federal cabinet regarding the appointment of the Director General (DG) of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), despite ongoing legal complications identified by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The top post at PSQCA has remained vacant for several years, mired in repeated controversies and procedural setbacks.
According to informed sources, the Prime Minister’s Office had recently returned the earlier summary to MoST, citing the need for procedural clarity and full disclosure. Officials said the PM Office had not been adequately briefed about the legal challenges surrounding the appointment, including two court cases and formal complaints from candidates.
Following internal deliberations, MoST sought legal advice from the Law Division, which unequivocally recommended that the ministry address all pending litigation and objections before resubmitting the case to the cabinet for approval.
Despite this legal advice, the ministry has moved forward with forwarding the summary.
At the center of the controversy is a formal complaint filed by one of the candidates, who alleges that the top-ranked nominee does not meet the required qualifications and experience for the highly technical MP-I Scale position.
The complainant, Mr. Akhtar Bugyo — currently serving as Director General of the Pakistan Halal Authority — has specifically challenged the shortlisting of Ms. Zia Batool, questioning her academic and technical credentials. He also pointed out that she was not part of the initial interview process for the post.
Ms. Batool, according to documents and insider accounts, was placed at the top of the merit list despite having a professional background in education management. Her previous roles include five years as chairperson of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), senior positions with the Punjab Higher Education Department, and over a decade at the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
However, critics argue that her experience lacks relevance to the technical and regulatory functions of PSQCA.
The second shortlisted candidate is also said to lack relevant qualifications, having worked for more than 15 years at Bahauddin Zakariya University, focusing on academic quality assurance, plagiarism checks, and thesis evaluation — none of which align with PSQCA’s core responsibilities, such as standardization, product testing, labeling, and import/export compliance.
Insiders note that the third candidate on the list has direct experience with PSQCA operations and is considered the only technically sound nominee. However, technically qualified candidates who had appeared for interviews were reportedly overlooked.
This marks the third attempt by the ministry to advance the appointment of a nominee widely seen as controversial or underqualified. Previous efforts were rejected by both the Establishment Division and the federal cabinet due to non-compliance with the advertised criteria.
Just a few months ago, a similar summary was turned down by the cabinet on the same grounds.
MoST officials attribute the prolonged delay to persistent efforts to nominate favored individuals despite falling short of eligibility requirements.
Compounding the issue is a legal timeframe tied to MP-I Scale appointments. According to a memorandum issued by the Establishment Division on June 4, 2024, all federal ministries and departments are required to finalize recruitment processes within 120 days of advertising a post.
That deadline has since expired for the PSQCA appointment, raising further concerns about the legitimacy of the current process.
As legal pressure mounts and scrutiny intensifies, the appointment of a new PSQCA chief remains stalled — emblematic of the broader challenges facing transparency, merit, and institutional accountability in public sector appointments.
