Heads of organizations: To PM’s great disappointment, ministries fail to fill vacant posts

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed his disappointment at the delay in hiring heads of different organizations that fall under administrative control of ministries, arguing that “stopgap arrangements” may lead to nepotism and corruption, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.

He expressed these sentiments at a recent meeting of the Federal Cabinet when he was briefed that 86 positions of CEOs/MDs in different organizations are still vacant due to different reasons; Secretary to Prime Minister held the ministries responsible for this delay.

The Establishment Division informed the Cabinet that the Federal Cabinet, on October 27, 2020, decided that "all vacant positions of MDs and CEOs be filled within three months without fail. The concerned Minister and the Secretary shall be personally responsible to implement the decision."

The Cabinet reiterated it on November 24, 2020: "the Cabinet directed that all Ministries/Divisions shall ensure appointment of heads of organizations/CEOs/MDs within the timeframe given by the Cabinet in its meeting on October 27, 2020."

The Establishment Division had requested the Ministries/ Divisions to provide the details of the vacant positions of CEOs/MDs including the posts which were currently filled on temporary/stop-gap basis. Consequently, the list had been updated based on the information provided by the administrative Ministries/Divisions.

It was noted that a total of 96 positions were vacant as on October 27, 2020. Since then, 26 positions had either been filled or merged and 16 new positions had been added. Currently, 86 positions are vacant, the details of which were as follows: (i) Power Division- 16;(ii) National Food Security and Research Division-11;(iii) Commerce Division -8;(iv) FE&PT Division-6;(v) Information and Broadcasting -5;(vi) Petroleum Division- 4;(vii) Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Division- 4;(viii) Housing and Works Division-4;(ix) NHSR&C- 3;(x) Industries and Production Division-3;(xi) National Heritage and Culture Division -3;(xii) Human Rights Division- 3; (xiii) Water Resources Division-3;(xiv) Science and Technology Division-2; (xv) OP&HRD Division- 2; (xvi) Information Technology and Telecom Division- 2; (xvii) Maritime Affairs Division-2; (xviii) Finance Division-2; (xix) IPC Division-1; (xx) Climate Change Division-1 and; (xxi) Cabinet Division-1.

However, 16 Divisions including Defence Production, Foreign Affairs, Economic Affairs, Interior, Kashmir Affairs, National Security, Privatisation, Prime Minister's Office and Railways have not submitted reports.

During the discussion, the Prime Minister showed disappointment at the very slow process of appointment of CEOs in various Ministries/ Divisions and wondered as to how an organization will function in the absence of its leadership/CEO. He underscored the need for undertaking urgent steps towards appointment of CEOs on vacant positions. He further commented that the government allowed headhunting to find best talented professionals from abroad but still seventy positions are lying vacant apart from additional sixteen positions. He inquired about the impediments in the hiring process and asked to provide reasons for delay of each position so that corrective measures could be taken. He said the Acting CEOs or any stop-gap arrangement in organisations would impact on the efficiency of the organisations, and may lead to nepotism and corruption.

The Advisor to PM on Institutional Reforms and Austerity (IRA) Dr. Ishrat Hussain explained that the new Special Professional Pay Scales (SPPS) policy is well designed to attract talented professionals working anywhere in the world, and through this process twenty six CEOs/MDs have been appointed so far. The Secretary to PM further apprised the Cabinet that there were no genuine impediments towards the hiring process and the Ministries/Divisions knew exactly the cut-off dates of “contracts-expiry” or retirement of on-job CEOs but they still did not take prior and timely steps to fill those positions.

The Cabined directed all Ministries/Divisions to provide the following information about the 86 vacant positions to Establishment Division by February 22, 2021 for subsequent presentation, by Establishment Secretary, before the Federal Cabinet: (i) post; (ii) date of vacancy; (iii) mode of appointment (initial recruitment/promotion); (iv) when was the post advertised (if to be filled by recruitment); v) when was the case sent to promotion board (if to be filled by promotion); (vi) reasons for delay and; (vii) tentative date of appointment.

The Cabinet further directed all Ministries/Divisions to indicate to Establishment Division the posts of CEOs/MDs/Heads which are likely to fall vacant during the next three months and an action plan to fill these posts along with timelines.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021