A case of political victimisation?

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Cabinet has turned down the name of Aisha Humera Moriani as Director General Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan (IPO-P), well-informed sources told Business Recorder. She is a sister of Secretary General PML (N), Ahsan Iqbal.

Sharing the details, sources said that on August 17, 2021, the Federal Cabinet was apprised that the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan was under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce. Consequent upon super annuation of Muhammad Titan Tarar, BS-21 officer of the Commerce & Trade Group, the post of Director General, Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan fell vacant on July 13, 2020.

Section 12(1) of Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan Act, 2012, provides that "there shall be a Director General of the Organization who shall be appointed by the Federal Government in consultation with the Chairman on such terms and conditions as may be prescribed". Further, under Section 12(2) of the said Act, it is stated that "a person shall not be appointed as a Director General unless he is a Federal Government Officer of not below the rank of BPS-21". The

following panel of three officers for posting as Director General, IPO-P was proposed in consultation with Chairman, IPO-P as required under the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan Act, 2012 for approval of the Federal Government: (i) Ms. Aisha Humera Moriani (BS-21 Secretariat Group) ), Joint Secretary, Commerce; (ii) Ms. Shazia Adnan (BS 21, C&T Group), Director General, Finance & Policy Development, National School of Public Policy, Lahore; and (iii) Ms. RaheelaTajwar (BS-21, C&T Group), Director General, Pakistan Institute of Trade& Development, Islamabad.

Commerce Division proposed that one of the officers may be appointed as Director General, IPO-P, on deputation basis on standard terms and conditions.

During a discussion, a member pointed out that Ms. Shazia Adnan, who was second in the priority list, also possessed the best credentials among the panel, to which the Cabinet concurred.

After a brief consultation on the summary submitted by the Commerce Division, the appointment of Shazia Adnan, as Director General, IPO-P, was approved on deputation basis on standard terms and conditions.

The sources maintained that the summary was submitted to the cabinet with the approval of Prime Minister Imran Khan as Minister in-charge, Ministry of Commerce. However during the meeting someone purportedly 'pointed out' that she is Ahsan Iqbal's sister, former Minister for Planning and Interior, after which the name of officer in second order of merit was approved as DG IPO-P.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021