Islamabad High Court Revokes Appointment Of Director General PSQCA

It should be noted that Ghulam Farooq, who is on deputation from Balochistan, previously held the position of DG of the ministry’s attached department, PSQCA.

Islamabad High Court Revokes Appointment Of Director General PSQCA

The Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), a department attached to the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), has had the appointment of its Director General (DG) suspended by the Islamabad High Court (IHC) until the case’s next hearing date. Dr. Shehzad Afzal’s petition was heard by a single IHC bench, led by Justice Babar Sattar.

According to Justice Sattar, the office order from the Minister of Science and Technology dated February 28, 2023, that named Mr. Mir Ghulam Farooq as Director General of PSQCA on an acting basis will be suspended until the next hearing date. The matter is to be relisted on May 25, 2023, per the court’s order.

Let the respondents file a proper report outlining the circumstances and the method used to appoint someone on deputation to the permanent position of Director General, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), according to the court’s order.

It added, “In view of the fact that there was a conflict of opinion between the Establishment Division and the Ministry of Science and Technology whereby the Establishment Division has taken a position that the post of Director General, PSQCA is not a post to be filled through deputation but is to be filled on a permanent basis, and subsequently an O.M. dated 07.11.2022, was also issued stating that Mr. Mir Ghulam Farooq ought to be appointed as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Science and Technology but not as Director General, PSQCA.”

It should be noted that Ghulam Farooq, who is on deputation from Balochistan, previously held the position of DG of the ministry’s attached department, PSQCA.

According to a notification issued on February 28, 2023, federal minister for MoST had assigned Mir Ghulam Farooq, joint secretary (Admin) MoST, look-after charge of the post of DG PSQCA for a period of three months or until the appointment of a regular incumbent in MP-1 scale, whichever was earlier.

According to details, the Ministry began the process of appointing the DG PSQCA after the post of DG PSQCA was converted to MP-I scale with the approval of the MP and SPS Scale Conversion Committee in its meeting on August 26, 2021. The Finance Division also authorised the conversion of posts to the MP-I Scale in a letter dated November 15, 2021.

The position of DG PSQCA was advertised on November 27, 2022, and a total of 98 applications were received, with the applications being shortlisted. It should be noted that the MoST has been unable to fill the position of DG PSQCA since DG Abdul Aleem Memon’s retirement on September 25, 2021.