Government set to approve panel for vp post in eco bank.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is set to approve a panel for the post of vice president of an international organisation in a clear violation of rules, which may dent its claim of ensuring transparency and merit in filling lucrative positions.

The government has planned to conduct interviews for the post of vice president of the Economic Cooperation Organisation Trade and Development Bank (ETDB) next week, according to sources in the Ministry of Finance. ETDB is based in Istanbul, Turkey, and acts as the regional financial institution of the ECO.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh will chair the selection committee that will conduct the interviews. Other members of the committee include advisers to the PM on austerity and commerce, Finance Division secretary and Establishment Division secretary.

Sources told that the government did not follow the laid-down criteria for the short-listing of candidates for the lucrative post, which offers salary in US dollars besides perks and privileges.

The candidates were required to appear in written tests before their selection for the interviews, according to an office memorandum of the Establishment Division.

The memorandum titled "Civil Servants (Service in International Organisations) Rules 2016" was prepared by the former secretary to the prime minister, Fawad Hasan Fawad, after a few blue-eyed officers close to the then government tried to secure lucrative foreign postings by misusing their...