Govt set to approve panel for VP post in ECO Bank
Violates rules by planning to conduct interviews without taking written test
Candidates are required to appear in written tests before their selection for interviews, according to an office memorandum of the Establishment Division. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is set to approve a panel for the post of vice president of an international organisation in a clear violation of rules, which may dent its claim of ensuring transparency and merit in filling lucrative positions.
The government has planned to conduct interviews for the post of vice president of the Economic Cooperation Organisation Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) next week, according to sources in the Ministry of Finance. ETDB is based in Istanbul, Turkey, and acts as the regional financial institution of the ECO.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh will chair the selection committee that will conduct the interviews. Other members of the committee include advisers to the PM on austerity and commerce, Finance Division secretary and Establishment Division secretary.
Sources told The Express Tribune that the government did not follow the laid-down criteria for the short-listing of candidates for the lucrative post, which offers salary in US dollars besides perks and privileges.
The candidates were required to appear in written tests before their selection for the interviews, according to an office memorandum of the Establishment Division.
The memorandum titled "Civil Servants (Service in International Organisations) Rules 2016" was prepared by the former secretary to the prime minister, Fawad Hasan Fawad, after a few blue-eyed officers close to the then government tried to secure lucrative foreign postings by misusing their positions.
The administrative responsibility to fill the VP post rests with the external financing wing of the Ministry of Finance. Current Additional Finance Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal was then posted in the PM Office and worked in Fawad's team.
The 2016 rules are applicable to the civil servants seeking employment on the reserved and specific posts and open posts and deputation in any international organisation.
Rule 4(c) says "there shall be a precondition of passing a written qualifying test, but the test shall be organised by the concerned ministry through a well-reputed testing agency and institution hired through open competitive process."
In order to ensure merit, the rules define scores to be obtained at every stage of selection that are also aimed at ending discretion of the interview board. However, sources said the Ministry of Finance has tried to manipulate the process by declaring that ETDB is among the sensitive and strategic nature international organisations that are exempted from the tests. It was also not clear whether the ministry sought waiver from Prime Minister Imran Khan to waive the condition of conducting written tests.
Current account in surplus after four years
The rules do allow certain exemptions in case of "sensitive or strategic" nature of posts in certain organisations that are clearly spelled out.
Tehran-based ECO is part of the sensitive organisations but Istanbul-based ETDB is a separate entity. It is not for the first time that the PTI government has undermined transparency in filling the foreign posts.
Finance ministry version
The Ministry of Finance has defended the decision of filling the post without conducting written tests.
The position of ETDB vice president is like other positions of Pakistan in multilateral development banks like executive directors of the World Bank and ADB, and senior adviser to the executive director IMF, which do not fall under the category of positions covered under the policy guidelines of the Establishment Division dated February 16, 2016, said the Ministry of Finance.
However, the response is contrary to what is written in the rules where ETDB is not listed among the sensitive and strategic organisations.
The Ministry of Finance stated "written tests are not conducted for such senior positions. It is further added that ETDB has said that there is no defined eligibility criteria for VPs and the member country concerned can make nominations at it considers appropriate".
It added that the Finance Division has adopted a transparent process for nomination for the post of ETDB vice president.
The ministry stated that all the federal ministries and divisions as well as the provincial governments were requested for the nomination of officers in BS 20/21 or equivalent, having education and work experience in finance, economics, trade, commerce, project management or any other related fields.
But this partially meets the requirements set out in the 2016 rules.
The finance ministry said that a short-listing committee examined the nominations keeping in view their qualifications, relevant diverse experience and their experience in holding a senior position.
The ministry said the Shaikh-led selection committee will interview the short-listed candidates and nominate a panel of three candidates for approval by the federal cabinet.
The ETDB board of directors will finally select one candidate out of the panel of three as the vice president of ETDB.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2019.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is set to approve a panel for the post of vice president of an international organisation in a clear violation of rules, which may dent its claim of ensuring transparency and merit in filling lucrative positions.
The government has planned to conduct interviews for the post of vice president of the Economic Cooperation Organisation Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) next week, according to sources in the Ministry of Finance. ETDB is based in Istanbul, Turkey, and acts as the regional financial institution of the ECO.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh will chair the selection committee that will conduct the interviews. Other members of the committee include advisers to the PM on austerity and commerce, Finance Division secretary and Establishment Division secretary.
Sources told The Express Tribune that the government did not follow the laid-down criteria for the short-listing of candidates for the lucrative post, which offers salary in US dollars besides perks and privileges.
The candidates were required to appear in written tests before their selection for the interviews, according to an office memorandum of the Establishment Division.
The memorandum titled "Civil Servants (Service in International Organisations) Rules 2016" was prepared by the former secretary to the prime minister, Fawad Hasan Fawad, after a few blue-eyed officers close to the then government tried to secure lucrative foreign postings by misusing their positions.
The administrative responsibility to fill the VP post rests with the external financing wing of the Ministry of Finance. Current Additional Finance Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal was then posted in the PM Office and worked in Fawad's team.
The 2016 rules are applicable to the civil servants seeking employment on the reserved and specific posts and open posts and deputation in any international organisation.
Rule 4(c) says "there shall be a precondition of passing a written qualifying test, but the test shall be organised by the concerned ministry through a well-reputed testing agency and institution hired through open competitive process."
In order to ensure merit, the rules define scores to be obtained at every stage of selection that are also aimed at ending discretion of the interview board. However, sources said the Ministry of Finance has tried to manipulate the process by declaring that ETDB is among the sensitive and strategic nature international organisations that are exempted from the tests. It was also not clear whether the ministry sought waiver from Prime Minister Imran Khan to waive the condition of conducting written tests.
Current account in surplus after four years
The rules do allow certain exemptions in case of "sensitive or strategic" nature of posts in certain organisations that are clearly spelled out.
Tehran-based ECO is part of the sensitive organisations but Istanbul-based ETDB is a separate entity. It is not for the first time that the PTI government has undermined transparency in filling the foreign posts.
Finance ministry version
The Ministry of Finance has defended the decision of filling the post without conducting written tests.
The position of ETDB vice president is like other positions of Pakistan in multilateral development banks like executive directors of the World Bank and ADB, and senior adviser to the executive director IMF, which do not fall under the category of positions covered under the policy guidelines of the Establishment Division dated February 16, 2016, said the Ministry of Finance.
However, the response is contrary to what is written in the rules where ETDB is not listed among the sensitive and strategic organisations.
The Ministry of Finance stated "written tests are not conducted for such senior positions. It is further added that ETDB has said that there is no defined eligibility criteria for VPs and the member country concerned can make nominations at it considers appropriate".
It added that the Finance Division has adopted a transparent process for nomination for the post of ETDB vice president.
The ministry stated that all the federal ministries and divisions as well as the provincial governments were requested for the nomination of officers in BS 20/21 or equivalent, having education and work experience in finance, economics, trade, commerce, project management or any other related fields.
But this partially meets the requirements set out in the 2016 rules.
The finance ministry said that a short-listing committee examined the nominations keeping in view their qualifications, relevant diverse experience and their experience in holding a senior position.
The ministry said the Shaikh-led selection committee will interview the short-listed candidates and nominate a panel of three candidates for approval by the federal cabinet.
The ETDB board of directors will finally select one candidate out of the panel of three as the vice president of ETDB.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 21st, 2019.