ISLAMABAD: At least nine departments under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) are currently operating without a department head. While this raises serious questions about the smooth functioning of these departments, it was noted that most departments are being managed by officials who are serving on an ad hoc basis. It was also learned that some of these departments have been without regular leadership for years.
According to details, these nine bodies have been operating on an ad hoc basis or without a permanent head for nearly a year, severely impacting research and development projects.
The affected departments include the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST), Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), National Metrology Institute of Pakistan (NMIP), Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), National Institute of Electronics (NIE), Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET), National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), COMSATS University, and Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC).
Although positions in various departments have been advertised and interviews have been conducted for some, the ministry has yet to appoint permanent heads for unknown reasons. Instead, the ministry has assigned look-after charges to some of its joint secretaries and other officials. Insiders told Profit that many of these current heads are allegedly favored by high-ranking officials.
As an example the post of Director General at PSQCA has been vacant for over three years, despite being advertised three times, with the recruitment process repeatedly scrapped. It was alleged that the repeated cancellations are due to attempts by ministers and secretaries to appoint unqualified and less experienced individuals, forcing qualified candidates to seek recourse in the courts.
In the most recent recruitment process, interviews were conducted a couple of months ago, yet no appointment has been made. The look-after charge for this position has been given to Tauseef Abbasi from the ministry’s finance department, who lacks the relevant qualifications and experience to run this highly technical department.
The position of Director General at PNAC has also been vacant following the recent completion of the former DG’s term. The look after charge is given to a senior officer of the department for three months or until the appointment of a new DG.
The ministry also assigned the interim charge of DG at NMIP to Mr. Zaheer Ahmed, a BS-20 officer at the ministry who, according to sources, lacks the required qualifications and experience. This position has long been advertised, but the recruitment process remains incomplete. A permanent appointment is necessary to ensure the smooth functioning of the organization and to progress pending inquiries related to NMIP.
The Pakistan Science Foundation, the apex body for the promotion and funding of scientific and technological research, has been without a permanent head since the retirement of Dr. Shahid Baig. This important institution has also been in the spotlight for illegal appointments, promotions, and internal conflicts.
The ministry has similarly assigned the look-after charge of DG at NIE to Zawar Hussain, another irrelevant official of the ministry.
COMSATS University, also under the ministry’s supervision, has been without a regular Rector for the past year, with the university’s affairs managed by acting officials.
Furthermore, the charge of the head of PCRET has been given to the Chairman PCSIR Dr. Hussain Abedi, as the ministry has yet to decide on the fate of this organization.
The post of Director General at NIO has also been vacant for a long time, with no interim assignment given to any ministry official. Similarly, the position of Chairman at PCST has been vacant for over three years, with no recruitment efforts made by the ministry to fill the position.
The supervision and oversight of these organizations and departments are mostly handled by the Joint Secretary Organization of the ministry.
