ISLAMABAD, Oct 8: Chief Collector North Shahid Rahim Shaikh is likely to be appointed Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the WTO.

An informed source in the prime minister secretariat told Dawn that the commerce ministry has already moved a summary, proposing Mr Shaikh’s name for the post created in 2002.

A notification is expected to be issued in a few days.

The post fell vacant following resignation of Dr Manzoor Ahmad in August who joined the Geneva-based FAO liaison office.

In the Musharraf-led democratic government, Mr Shaikh was elevated to the post of member customs in his own pay-scale (BPS-20).

This was the first-ever appointment of a BPS-20 official against a senior post in the past one-and-a-half decade, the source added. Normally, officers of BPS-21 are entitled to be posted as member customs. However, Mr Shaikh was promoted to BPS-21 after twice consecutive deferments due to reported adverse intelligence reports.

Mr Shaikh was removed from the slot by Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro in November last.

The source said that the prime minister secretariat has rejected an earlier summary of the commerce ministry seeking appointment of Qasim Niaz against the slot, who headed the WTO wing of the commerce ministry for five years. Mr Niaz has now been appointed Pakistan’s trade representative to Brussels.