Process for appointment of director ImSciences ends, interviews tomorrow

PESHAWAR: Eventually the long-delayed process of choosing a full-time director for the Institute of Management Sciences (IMSciences) is near culmination as the Higher Education Department (HED) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has asked the shortlisted candidates to appear for final interview tomorrow (July 13).

The interview panel would be headed by KP Chief Minister’s Special Assistant on Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash.

The process of selection of a new director for the IMSciences Peshawar started way back as the tenure of the incumbent Director Mohsin Khan ended in early March this year. The position of director was advertised in December 2020.

In order to manage the affairs, the outgoing director was given an extension till the appointment of a new director. However, without a full-time head, it became quite difficult to run the affairs of the institute smoothly.

The shortlisting process took considerable time despite the very clear selection criteria.

Reliable sources told The News that the current joint director of the institute, Dr Usman Ghani, who is the lone candidate from the institution, is on the top of the list of the short-listed candidate and he is considered as the most favourite one for the office.

Dr Usman Ghani has been serving in the position of joint director, the second highest position in the administration of IMSciences under the position of director, since September 2016. Moreover, during the absence of director, he has also been looking after the responsibilities of director on an acting basis.

He has also served as deputy director, the third most senior position in the IMSciences organisational hierarchy, from September 2012 to September 2016, besides working as coordinator of PhD programme in Management Program from 2010 to 2013.

He is also the most senior faculty member of the IMSciences serving the institute for more than 23 years. Dr Ghani is a full professor who has got his Post Doctorate from Gatton College of Business & Economics, University of Kentucky, USA and a PhD from Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (ZABIST).