ETPB head appointment process suspended again

ISLAMABAD: The process of appointment of regular chairman of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), a subsidiary institution of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, has been suspended once again. The federal cabinet has rejected the panel sent by the selection board and directed to start a new process for the appointment. According to sources, the post of ETPB chairman is vacant from May 5, 2023. This post was vacated after the resignation of then chairman Habib-ur-Rahman Gilani.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs had advertised this post. After shortlisting, the selection board, under the head of Federal Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain, conducted interviews of 23 candidates on April 23, 2024. The Board sent a panel of three candidates, which included Brigadier (r)) Mumtaz Iqbal, retired Federal Secretary Habib-ur-Rahman Gilani and retired Secretary Ijaz Ahmed, to the federal cabinet for approval. The cabinet approved the panel. However, it ordered that reports of three candidates be called from ISI and Intelligence Bureau.

The summary was sent again on July 20, 2024. However, the Cabinet Division returned it saying according to the intelligence reports, none of the three candidates was suitable for the post of ETPB chairman.

According to sources, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has sent a summary to the Establishment Division. It said as per the decision of Cabinet Division, the ministry is starting the process for appointment of ETPB chairman again.

This process will take time. In the meantime, to run the administrative affairs of the Board, and to make decisions in the cases of judicial nature, it is necessary a suitable officer is given additional charge of this post, the summary said.

The ministry suggested the additional charge of ETPB Chairman be given to Additional Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs Syed Ataur Rahman for three months.

The rules require opinion of the Establishment Division for appointment to the post of Grade-20 or above. Therefore, the opinion of Establishment Division has been sought on the draft summary before sending it to the cabinet. Many appeals are pending due to the vacant post of ETPB chairman.