ISLAMABAD: The Accountant General of Pakistan Revenues (AGPR) has raised objections to appointments made in the National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) on posts from BS-01 to BS-16.

It pointed out “certain discrepancies and deficiencies” in the recruitment process and halted the disbursement of salaries to the newly-appointed employees.

In a letter dated March 2, 2026, the AGPR informed the NIRC administrative officer that during scrutiny of FO1 forms submitted for pay computerisation of recently-recruited employees, irregularities were detected in the recruitment process.

According to the communication, the constitution of the selection committee was not in accordance with the prescribed recruitment rules. The AGPR advised that the minutes of the selection committee meeting may be endorsed by the joint secretary (administration) of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development to regularise the process.

The AGPR also pointed out that two drivers appointed against the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa quota were overage, asking the commission to remove the discrepancies before further processing of the case.

Separately, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development had already sought a detailed report from the NIRC on complaints challenging the transparency of the recent recruitment process.

The complaints claimed that the Departmental Selection Committee constituted for appointments in BPS-01 to BPS-14 was not formed in accordance with the Promotion and Appointment Rules, 1973. It stated that the committee comprised a registrar (BPS-18), a deputy registrar (BPS-17) and an assistant (BPS-15) holding additional charge, while officers in BPS-21 positions available within the commission were not included in the committee.

The appointments were made through the Candidate Testing Service (CTS), but the complaints alleged that no tenders were invited or quotations obtained from other testing agencies before engaging the service.

Several allegations of nepotism were also raised. According to the complaints, a steno-typist appointed through the process is the nephew of the assistant who served on the selection committee, while a reader was stated to be the brother-in-law of the in-charge of the IT branch. It was further alleged that an LDC was appointed against a post not mentioned in the advertisement and shared the same mailing address as a senior employee, while two LDCs were appointed against a single advertised post.

The complaints also alleged that drivers were appointed beyond the prescribed age limit without following the procedure for age relaxation.

It referred to a communication dated December 17, 2025, from a member of the NIRC Lahore bench regarding a steno-typist posted there, stating that the incumbent lacked the required professional qualifications and directing the registrar to refer the matter to the relevant authorities. However, no action was reportedly taken.

Further allegations included the upgrading of certain posts without required approvals. The post of reader to the chairman was reportedly upgraded from BPS-16 to BPS-18 and that of other readers from BPS-14 to BPS-17, while a watchman (BPS-03) was allegedly appointed as reader (BPS-14) without proceedings of the departmental committee.

Regarding promotions, the complaints stated that the legally constituted Departmental Promotions Committee had deferred promotion cases in November 2025, citing lack of required qualifications, but promotions were later made through a differently constituted committee.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2026