KARACHI: The federal government has yet to issue a notification to appoint the principal science and technology adviser in the Ministry of Science and Technology, despite more than two months having passed since the completion of a highly competitive selection process.

Officials said that the process of recruitment for the Principal Science and Technology Adviser (PSTA) in Special Professional Pay Scales-1 (SPPS-I) began last year and a special selection board was constituted to conduct interview of eligible candidates for the SPPS-I position.

They said the board, headed by the then federal minister for science and technology and comprising science and technology secretary, PCSIR chairman, the chairman of the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence at NUST and a representative of the Establishment Division, conducted interviews in February.

The special selection board finalised Prof Dr Obaid Ali as the principal candidate for the post. Two other candidates — Dr Khalid Khan and Dr Khalid Hussain — were recommended as “alternate candidates”.

Special selection board had in February finalised Dr Obaid Ali’s name for principal science and technology adviser

Sources said a summary was sent to the prime minister for the “issuance of an offer of appointment to Prof Dr Obaid for the position of Principal Science & Technology Adviser (SPPS-I) as recommended by the Special Selection Board” by the science and technology secretary, but no action has been taken on it so far.

Requesting anonymity, a senior ministry official told Dawn that the prime minister is expected to give his consent or otherwise in a couple of days.

The official said that the PM had recently given the portfolio of the science and technology ministry to Khalid Magsi and maybe he will issue directives after consulting with the new minister.

Prof Dr Obaid Ali, originally from Karachi, is a respected figure in pharmaceutical sciences and academic circles.

He currently serves at the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and is responsible for developing a roadmap for the promotion of science and technology and for the capacity building of the pharmaceutical workforce.

The principal adviser will provide expert advice to the federal minister on science, technology and innovation (STI) policy and oversees the development and implementation of new initiatives and projects.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2025