Irregularities mar hiring of new IGNITE CEO

IT Division says appointment process suspended after receipt of complaints

ISLAMABAD: The process of hiring a full-time chief executive officer of IGNITE - a national technology fund owned by the government of Pakistan - has been put aside following complaints of irregularities during the course of appointing the officer.

IGNITE has been established for research and development activities in the area of information and communication technology. It is funded by mandatory contribution from telecom service providers in the country.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the Prime Minister’s Office had sought explanation as to when the recruitment of IGNITE CEO would be made. The Information Technology and Telecommunication Division, in a recent meeting of the cabinet, revealed that a number of complaints had been received about irregularities in the appointment process. After the examination of complaints and with approval of the federal IT minister, the company - IGNITE - was directed that the hiring of its CEO may be suspended immediately.

A detailed report was also sought by the ministry, suggesting a transparent mechanism and showing all those who met the advertised criteria had been entertained including those whose applications bounced back due to any fault in the receiving system of IGNITE.

“The company board has been directed to carry out the process in a transparent, competitive and fair manner, and recommend three names as per practice by mid-April,” said IT secretary when asked for comment.

A three-year contractual term of Yusuf Hussain, IGNITE CEO, ended on December 12, 2019. The post had been advertised in October 2019 and subsequently re-advertised on December 1 due to procedural issues.

The company’s board was supposed to initiate the hiring process three months prior to the expiry of the CEO’s term. However, the board could not meet the requirement, creating a void.

Section 187(4) of the Companies Act 2017 states, “Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, the government shall have the power to nominate chief executive of company where majority of directors is nominated by the government in such manner as may be specified.”

Keeping that in view, the Information Technology and Telecommunication Division notified Syed Junaid Imam, member IT of the information technology ministry and a director on IGNITE board, as CEO of the company for an interim period till the appointment of a full-time chief executive with approval of the federal IT minister on December 12, 2019.

The company board, during its meeting held on December 16, 2019, resolved to approve the charge of acting CEO for Imam, effective from December 13 till the joining of a full-time CEO.

Later, a summary was circulated on a need basis for ex-post facto approval of the appointment. The summary was routed through the Law and Justice Division and the Establishment Division, which endorsed the proposal.

The prime minister gave directives for seeking cabinet’s approval after responding to certain observations.

Accordingly, the Information Technology and Telecommunication Division sought ex-post facto approval of the cabinet for granting the acting charge of IGNITE CEO to Imam, with effect from December 13, 2019. The cabinet approved the proposal subject to immediate submission of timelines for the appointment of a full-time CEO.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2020.

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