The PSF chairman argued that the Ministry of Science and Technology does not have authority over the appointment of the PSF chairman in accordance with the law.
The Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) and the Ministry of Science and Technology are at odds over allegations that a lower-grade officer was improperly given the position of Member Science of the Pakistan Science Foundation.
Despite alleged pressure from the minister’s office, Science Foundation Chairman Dr. Shahid Mehmood Baig has declined to accept the joining of the concerned officer.
The PSF chairman confirmed this in a conversation with media. The minister was repeatedly contacted by this correspondent to get his opinion on the situation, but no response was given until the news item was filed.
The minister for science and technology, has come under fire for appointing an officer to multiple high-ranking positions, including his appointment as the chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), despite the officer having been charged with harassment and other offences.
In addition, Baig acknowledged that a summary had reportedly been moved to remove him (Baig), but he hinted that he would knock down any forum if it was removed illegally.
Dr. Hafeezullah Khan is a Grade-20 officer, and the Science and Technology Ministry wants to promote him to Grade-21, which is against the law given that there are currently three senior-most officers assigned to the Foundation.
In accordance with the regulations, the federal secretary of science and technology receives three names of the institution’s most senior officers for consideration when filling the open position of member of science in the Foundation.
For one of these officers to be charged as a Member Science, the federal secretary needs permission from the minister of Science and Technology.
In this instance, however, the minister sent the name of Dr. Khan and requested that the chairman receive a joining from him; Dr. Baig declined.
The PSF chairman argued that the Ministry of Science and Technology does not have authority over the appointment of the PSF chairman in accordance with the law. Only the Pakistani president has the authority to decide that.
Dr. Khan is also in charge of two other federal agencies, namely the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and the Pakistan Council of Science and Technology (PCST).
The PSF chairman claimed that he had received a message from the ministry requesting his resignation; failing to do so would result in a six-month forced leave, the opening of an investigation into him, and his dismissal from his position.