ISLAMABAD: A senior official of the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has challenged the recruitment process for the post of the board director general.

IHC Justice Aamer Farooq after preliminary hearing made it clear that the induction will be subject to the approval of the court.

Deputy director general Pakistan Sports Board Mansoor Ahmed Khan challenged the advertisement for filling the vacant post of the DG published in the national press.

His counsel contended before the court that the authorities had deprived Mr Khan from competing for the post since the advertisement did not mention masters in social sciences as eligibility criteria.

He said that even otherwise, this post could have been filled by promoting the senior most deputy DG to the post of DG.

He further pointed out that the ministry of the Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) has framed rules for induction on DG’s post which are ultra vires to the constitution.

Following a wait of almost two years that saw numerous officials taking over the acting charge as director general of the PSB, the IPC ministry got published an advertisement in the national dailies to fill the vacant post of director general PSB.

A candidate with a PhD degree in sports or management sciences having ten years of active experience will be preferred for the post.

Even an aspirant with Masters degree in Sports/Management Sciences with 14 years of experience can also apply for the post before Dec 20.

Candidates must have less than 62 years of age for MP II Scale post.

The post of DG will be filled for an initial period of three years.

The ministry is likely to form a committee to interview the shortlisted candidates.

The PSB has no permanent DG for the last two years and the absence of top official has badly affected board’s working. Like Pakistan Cricket Board, the PSB is an independent body but it is being managed virtually by the ministry these days in the absence of permanent DG.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2020