ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has admitted a constitutional petition challenging the appointment of Dr. Zia Batool as Director General of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), with the petitioner alleging that the appointment was made in violation of merit, transparency, and applicable laws.
The petition, filed by Akhtar Ahmed Bhugio under Article 199 of the Constitution, contests the federal government’s notification of June 20, 2025, through which Dr. Batool was appointed DG PSQCA. The petitioner argued that the appointment disregarded the PSQCA Act, 1996, the Management Position Scales Policy 2020, and the Rules of Business 1973.
According to the petition, Bhugio himself applied for the post through the official process, was shortlisted several times, and appeared for interviews, but was consistently overlooked. In contrast, Dr. Batool was allegedly neither eligible under the advertised criteria nor formally shortlisted.
The appointment, the petition claimed, was “arbitrary and non-transparent,” marked by serious procedural irregularities and violations of Establishment Division guidelines.
The petitioner said repeated written representations to the authorities went unanswered, leaving him with no choice but to seek judicial relief. He requested the court to declare the notification and all subsequent actions unlawful.
At the hearing, Ms. Zainab Samantash, Advocate, represented the petitioner, while Mr. Sarfraz Rauf, Additional Attorney General, appeared on the court’s call. The IHC, after initial arguments, observed that the matter required consideration. Chief Justice of the IHC issued notices to the respondents, directing them to submit their report and para-wise comments within two weeks, and also ordered that Writ Petition No. 4070/2021, a similar case, be clubbed with this one.
Meanwhile, despite the petition, Dr. Batool has already assumed charge of PSQCA on August 5, 2025. She continues to hold her position as Chairperson of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), effectively running PSQCA from the PEIRA office.
When asked why she was holding two top positions simultaneously, Dr. Batool said that the cabinet had not yet approved her relieving from PEIRA prior to completion of her tenure, and she was awaiting formal approval.
Experts and former bureaucrats, however, argue that no one can legally hold the regular charge of two positions in government institutions at the same time.
“Dual charges are often given as a temporary arrangement, but to occupy two statutory posts simultaneously raises questions of legality and governance,” said one senior official.
The controversy has once again put the spotlight on irregular appointments at PSQCA, an authority that has long faced criticism for politicized postings and lack of adherence to merit in senior-level selections.
