— Authority chief’s dual charge, delayed resignation approval raise governance concerns
ISLAMABAD: Serious governance concerns have emerged within the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) as the federal cabinet continues to delay the approval of the resignation of a senior bureaucrat, who has held two statutory positions concurrently since August 5, 2025.
Officials familiar with the matter describe the situation as unprecedented, and many believe the delay is intentionally linked to the outcome of a pending court case challenging her recent appointment.
Dr. Zia Batool, who has been serving as Chairperson of the Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), assumed charge as Director General of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) in early August through what multiple insiders describe as a “highly irregular and questionable process.”
Although Dr. Batool has reportedly submitted her resignation from PEIRA, insiders say the competent authority, usually the federal cabinet, has not yet approved it. This has created what officials describe as an untenable administrative situation, as she continues to enjoy the perks and authority of the PSQCA post while her earlier statutory charge remains technically intact.
Senior officials at MoST, speaking on the condition of anonymity, argue that no individual can legally hold two statutory posts at the same time, terming the situation a clear conflict of interest and a deviation from established service rules. They say the case has become a serious embarrassment for the ministry, which is already under scrutiny for internal governance lapses and politically driven appointments.
The controversy deepened as it later emerged that Dr. Batool has allegedly been operating PSQCA affairs from her PEIRA office in Islamabad, instead of relocating to the organisation’s Karachi headquarters, where all major technical operations, laboratories, and administrative functions of the national standards body are based. Officials say this arrangement has raised fundamental questions about transparency, oversight, and the authority with which she is managing PSQCA functions, given that the post is Karachi-based and statutory in nature.
Adding to the unease within the ministry, several of her former colleagues from PEIRA have reportedly been brought into PSQCA on deputation. These include Mr. Naveed, who has been posted as Deputy Director (Admin) Islamabad while also holding the additional charge of Deputy Director (Legal), even though insiders claim neither of these posts exist in the sanctioned PSQCA structure.
Another PEIRA official, Mr Zulfiqar, whose post is similarly not sanctioned in PSQCA, has also been deputed as Deputy Director Islamabad. Sources say both officials continue to sit in Dr. Batool’s PEIRA office in Islamabad while drawing salaries from PSQCA—a practice described as highly irregular and against deputation norms.
Insiders also allege that Dr. Batool appointed Syed Khurram Abbas, said to be her relative, as a consultant or adviser at PSQCA with a monthly package exceeding Rs200, 000. According to officials, this appointment was made without any advertisement, competitive recruitment process, or approval from the PSQCA Board of Directors. They further allege that another of her trusted associates from PEIRA has been brought in as an adviser without fulfilling codal formalities.
Concerns extend to her attempt, shortly after assuming charge, to induct at least four individuals directly into BPS-19 positions without advertisement or the mandatory approval process. Among them, insiders say, was Dr. Rukhsana Magsi, reportedly a relative of Federal Science and Technology Minister Khalid Magsi, who was appointed on contract in Karachi.
Others included a physician and individuals assigned informal director-level roles positions not recognized within PSQCA’s official structure. Officials say these moves were halted only after internal resistance and the surfacing of objections from within the ministry.
The circumstances surrounding her new Islamabad office have added yet another layer to the controversy. Sources allege that an office was renovated and furnished for her use in the federal capital at the cost of over Rs8 million without any tendering process, raising questions about violations of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules.
Insiders claim that work on additional offices for two directors aligned with Dr. Batool has also been carried out or is underway under similarly questionable procurement procedures. Ironically, officials say the DG rarely uses the newly furnished office, reportedly citing the pendency of an Islamabad High Court (IHC) case filed before her appointment.
The case, brought by a competing candidate, challenges her eligibility on grounds that her academic and professional background is in education rather than science or engineering the fields traditionally required for heading the national standards body. The next hearing is awaited after the case was deferred in late September.
Officials within MoST say that even if the deputations of PEIRA officials are justified under general government rules, the nature of the posts they have been assigned to in PSQCA raises serious administrative concerns. Under PSQCA’s service structure, BPS-19 appointments require prior clearance from the Secretary of Science and Technology, while positions in BPS-20 and above are the domain of the federal government. However, insiders claim that the deputed officials have been functioning far beyond what their designated ranks allow, and in some cases against non-existent posts.
The combination of dual charge, alleged procedural violations, politically connected inductions, and questionable procurement practices has, according to some ministry officials, revived long-standing criticism of PSQCA as an institution frequently marred by politicised postings and misuse of authority. For years, the authority has struggled with irregular human resource practices and ad hoc administrative decisions, and insiders fear the current episode may further compromise the organisation’s ability to function as the country’s premier standards-setting body.
When approached for comment, Federal Science and Technology Minister Khalid Magsi did not respond to the specific queries sent to him. However, his staff forwarded a response received from Dr. Zia Batool, even though the questions had been addressed to the minister. In her forwarded reply, Dr. Batool stated that she assumed charge of PSQCA after submitting her resignation from PEIRA, adding that she is drawing only one salary from PSQCA and is no longer associated with PEIRA.
She maintained that PSQCA is following the government’s deputation policy and that no violation has occurred. Regarding the IHC case against her appointment, she noted that it had been filed prior to her assuming office and would be decided by the court as per its schedule.
Dr. Batool did not respond to more recent queries, and PSQCA officials say she has maintained that her resignation from PEIRA remains pending approval by the competent authority. MoST Secretary Shahid Iqbal Baloch also did not respond to the queries shared with him.
