Violating procedures: Govt circumvents rules for Khosa’s appointment

Official sources say neither the position was circulated nor the handpicked candidates were interviewed.

Official sources say neither the position was circulated nor the handpicked candidates were interviewed. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


The government allegedly circumvented the procedures in the appointment of the prime minister’s principal secretary, Nasir Mahmood Khosa, as executive director ED/AED of the World Bank, The Express Tribune has learnt.


Official sources said that neither the position was circulated nor the handpicked candidates were interviewed.

According to the April 2000 office memorandum of the establishment division, any vacancy for international organisations, foreign governments and UN agencies has to be widely circulated to all ministries, divisions and provincial governments.

The post alternates between Pakistan and Algeria. The ED/AED is responsible for protecting the interests of a constituency of seven countries in addition to securing concessionary loans.

Khosa – who is retiring on September 14 – will succeed Raja Azeem-ul Haque, son-in-law of former premier Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. Azeem’s appointment was challenged in the Supreme Court, and fearing an adverse ruling he quit only seven months after taking over.


Khosa belongs to the District Management Group, now known as Pakistan Administrative Services. His appointment as the ED/AED had long been anticipated, official sources said.

Appointment procedure

According to the office memorandum of the Establishment Division, after circulating a vacancy to various departments the Special Selection Board (SSB) of the establishment division shortlists candidates for a decision by the prime minister.

However, sources said the economic affairs division did not circulate the post. A panel of candidates was shortlisted consisting of Nasir Khosa, former secretaries Ghulam Dastgir and Javed Iqbal.

Javed Iqbal told The Express Tribune that he was not interviewed by the SSB, as he did not know about his inclusion in the panel. However, he appreciated Khosa’s administrative skills.

Following the Memorandum

The spokesman for the economic affairs division insisted that they followed the procedures which have been practiced for the last 20 years. The panel was approved by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 25th, 2013.
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