ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be a clear violation of government service rules, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) has assigned a BS-18 officer the additional charge of a BS-20 post.
According to an office order issued on September 29, 2025, Mr. Babar Ali Qureshi, Assistant Chief at the National Fertilizer Development Centre (NFDC), has been given additional charge of Chief NFDC (BS-20) for three months, or until the appointment of a regular incumbent. The order was signed by Section Officer (Admn-I) Dr. Yasir Mehmood, with the approval of the Secretary MNFSR.
The appointment has raised eyebrows within the bureaucracy, as per Establishment Division’s service rules, acting or look-after charge can only be given one grade above the substantive post. A BS-18 officer may be assigned charge of a BS-19 post on a temporary basis, but assigning a BS-18 officer to a BS-20 position goes against rules and past court judgments that have struck down similar postings as illegal.
Senior officials argue that such practices undermine merit, fuel administrative irregularities, and compromise the autonomy of institutions. “It is a blatant misuse of discretionary powers and an attempt to bypass qualified senior officers who are otherwise eligible for the position,” remarked one official, requesting anonymity.
The office order adds to the growing list of controversial appointments in MNFSR, a ministry already facing scrutiny from the Senate Standing Committee on Food Security and the judiciary over irregular postings in the Department of Plant Protection (DPP).
