Science Ministry Under Fire for Favoring Corrupt Official

Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch is facing criticism for appointing an allegedly corrupt officer to multiple senior positions including his appointment as the Chairman of Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF). According to sources, the person in question, Dr. Hafeez Ullah Khan, has been previously involved in corruption and record tampering. The Ministry of Science and Technology and Pakistan Science Foundation have locked horns over the matter as the current Chairman Dr Shahid Baig has refused to leave the charge. Pakistan Science Foundation argues that according to rules, the Ministry of Science and Technology has no jurisdiction in the appointment of PSF Chairman, only the prime minister can make that call and only the senior most officer in the foundation can be appointed to the post. Dr. Khan is also overseeing the matters in two other federal organizations i.e. the Pakistan Council of Science and Technology (PCST) and the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA). “Appointments in the ministry were already happening which needed to be completed and there has been no appointment against the rules and procedure. It’s not the media’s job to question the appointments” said Director to Minister when asked about the matter. It is to be noted that Dr. Khan was dismissed in 2016 on allegations of corruption and record tampering. The Science Foundation Board sacked him after a complete inquiry. In 2021, the incomplete Board of the Science Foundation reinstated him against the rules.