Islamabad, Sep 2: A selection board has been established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to choose the Secretary of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT&T) from the open market.
Ahad Cheema, the federal minister for economic affairs, will serve as the chairman of the five-member selection board. Additional members include Cabinet Division Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal, Establishment Division Secretary Inamullah Dharejo, Secretary for Commerce Jawad Paul, and Minister of State for IT and Telecom Division Shaza Fatima Khawaja.
Applications from qualified individuals were requested by the Establishment Division for the Secretary of Information and Telecommunications post. The Additional Secretary Establishment Division chaired the shortlisting committee that examined and narrowed down the contenders.
The hiring of a private sector IT secretary was decided upon, and the job posting went live during the first week of August.
According to the advertisement, candidates may be no older than 60 years old and needed to have at least 20 years of expertise in the IT industry. The role is available on a two-year contract with the potential to be extended. The chosen applicant will be paid between Rs. 1.5 and 2 million per month under the Special Professional Pay Scale. This action is a component of the government’s larger plan to enhance the functioning of technical ministries by bringing in skilled individuals from the private sector.
The Establishment Division was asked to provide a comprehensive report on the selection criteria and procedures, after the Senate Standing Committee became aware of the appointment process.
This move, according to sources in the Establishment Division, is intended to guarantee more effective management of the ministry’s operations and to improve technical proficiency inside the organization. The IT and telecommunications industry views the appointment of a private sector professional as a first step toward improved service delivery and better governance.
