While the government is yet to appoint the new head of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) since the resignation of the former Chief Executive (CE) SM Munir on April 16, 2017, the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) is going to amend TDAP’s Act to avoid another political appointment on the top slot.
Reliable sources told Pakistan Today that the ministry is working on how to propose an amendment to the act of the authority to pave way for appointment of a competitive, qualified and relevant person on the important seat of CE TDAP.
“The political appointment of a businessman from the private sector was not only a clash of interests but also a bad decision on the part of the government. The outgoing CE could not make any difference in the performance of the authority, rather, he used the public office to accelerate his politics at the FPCCI and other trade associations, misusing his influential position,” they said, adding that the criterion set through the act for the appointment of the chief executive was in no way a reasonable one, keeping in view the requirement of the top slot.
As per the TDAP Act-2013, there shall be a Chief Executive of high integrity, employed on a full-time basis, having the relevant professional qualifications, expertise, experience and knowledge of local and international markets backed by a successful track record. The tenure of the CE shall be three years, extendable at the pleasure of the federal government.
“The former CE was neither a full-time employee of the authority nor did he meet the requirement of having a professional qualification,” they claimed. “TDAP, being the only institution responsible for improving exports, should be run only by a highly reputed, qualified and professional candidate, one who is not alien to the world of trade and commerce,” they opined.
According to sources, MoC, soon after the resignation of SM Munir, recommended the name of Arif Ahmad Khan, former Secretary Interior as the new CE of TDAP. Arif Ahmad Khan has recently been made Officer on Special Duty (OSD) after a squabble with the Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan. Arif Khan has previously served in the TDAP for Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) as well.
Though the ministry can recommend a name for the top post of TDAP, it is up to the prime minister who has the final say on the appointment. SM Munir, being a friend of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was appointed by the prime minister directly without any selection process.
SM Munir had cited the reason of non-cooperation by MoC for his resignation. He had earlier refused to leave the office even after completing his term on March 18, 2017 saying that “the Establishment Division via Notification dated 12th March, 2014, had appointed him as CE TDAP on contract basis on purely honorific capacity with immediate effect and until further orders.”
The MoC has never been happy with Munir. The resignation letter sent to the prime minister by SM Munir says that there are elements within the MoC who have hamstrung the service delivery of the prime minister’s directives for improving the exports from Pakistan.
