Senate Committee Discusses CEO Appointment for Ignite

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Information Technology, chaired by Senator Palwasha Khan, was held to discuss the appointment of the CEO of Ignite. The board meeting for Ignite took place on March 13, where the interim CEO was present. During the meeting, two candidates were nominated for the CEO position, both of whom were internal candidates from Ignite. However, a tie occurred among the committee members regarding their votes. The Ministry of IT officials announced that the decision was made to re-advertise the CEO position due to a lack of suitable candidates from within the organization. Senator Anusha Rahman raised a point, questioning whether it was a positive sign to have candidates from within the organization. The Ministry of IT officials revealed that seven candidates were shortlisted for the CEO position, out of which two were selected. To appoint the CEO of Ignite, a two-thirds majority from the board members is required. Senator Humayun Mohmand stated that if a two-thirds majority is not achieved after re-advertising, they would consider alternative measures. Officials clarified that the board has the sole authority to make appointments under the SOE Act. The board members had voted five times for each candidate, leading Senator Humayun Mohmand to question the merit of the voting process. Federal Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja highlighted an ongoing debate about whether Ignite falls under the SOE framework, asking if public funds should be governed by the SOE Act. She mentioned that discussions with the Ministry of Finance were underway to clarify that Ignite and the Universal Service Fund (USF) should not be classified under the SOE Act. The board meeting had faced delays due to various reasons, and Minister Khawaja noted that she is not a member of the Ignite board, with the Secretary of IT serving as the chairman. Senator Saifullah Niazi expressed concerns about the potential loss of resources if a two-thirds majority is not achieved. Senator Anusha Rahman emphasized the need to resolve the issue promptly to avoid organizational damage. The committee chairperson pointed out that the act mentions a three-fourths majority, not just two-thirds. Minister confirmed that they had written to the Ministry of Finance, stating that Ignite, USF, and other entities do not fall under the SOE category. She added that the board members had previously refused to work until the SOE Act was implemented, but after considerable effort, the issue has been resolved. The current board members will continue their work until their retirement, at which point a decision regarding the implementation of the SOE Act will be made. The board consists of six public sector and six private sector members. Minister Khawaja noted that across the country, CEOs are appointed through voting in 9,000 institutions. Senator Anusha Rahman suggested that if private members had influenced the board’s decisions, strict action should be taken against them. She also mentioned that if changes to the two-thirds majority are needed, an amendment would have to be introduced in the Senate. The committee has requested all details related to the CEO appointment for Ignite, including the score sheets of the shortlisted candidates.