Foreign postings: PM approves induction of trade officers

PM also directed the ministry to give the appointees certain targets and to monitor their efforts to achieve them

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while approving the appointments of trade ministers, counselors general, commercial-counselors and commercial secretaries in 43 stations across the world, has rejected the recommendations of the trade ministry which went against procedure, sources in the ministry have said.

According to them, some of the candidates the trade ministry had recommended did not fulfill merit requirements. The ministry had also tried to post some candidates on stations of their choosing without prior approval from the premier. Two of the candidates recommended by the ministry were facing disciplinary proceedings as well.

Sources said Premier Nawaz rejected all those recommendations and ordered the ministry to select candidates for the postings purely on merit. He also directed the ministry to give the appointees certain targets and to monitor their efforts to achieve them.

The prime minister also ordered the ministry to arrange trainings on national trade and economic policy for officers being posted abroad and suggested hiring trade officers from the private sector under a proper contract and terms of employment. The contract of these private sector trade officers can be extended after review of their performance in a single year, he suggested. (TRANSLATION BY ARSHAD SHAHEEN)

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2016.