The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has appointed Ismat Gul Khattak as Director General Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), an additional charge.
After the approval from the federal cabinet, the Ministry of Science and Technology issued a notification formally assigning the additional responsibility of DG PSQCA to Ismat Gul Khattak.
Ismat Gul Khattak, currently the Director General of the Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC), is a seasoned professional who has served with distinction in various governments, including Pakistan, the UAE, and the UK.
She possesses significant expertise in quality infrastructures, particularly in the fields of technical regulations, standardization, industrial and legal metrology, accreditation, certifications (including halal certification), laboratory management, inspection, proficiency testing providers, and personnel certification schemes.
As per her profile, with approximately 30 years of work experience, Ms. Khattak has worked with accreditation bodies, standards organizations, and conformity assessment institutions in both Pakistan and the UAE. In the UAE, she played a pivotal role in developing the Emirates National Accreditation System (ENAS). She is well-versed in international requirements related to accreditation, standardization, and conformity assessment.
According to the notification of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ismat Gul Khattak has been given an additional charge of DGPS QCA for 3 months. The IT Ministry says that the process of appointment of DG PSQCA will be completed within three months.
The post of Director General Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority is vacant from 2021 and the Islamabad High Court has directed to complete the appointment of a permanent DG PSQCA immediately. The directive of the Islamabad High Court came in response to a writ petition filed by Dr. Shehzad Afzal, an employee of PSQCA, alleging violations of the Management Position Scales Policy 2020 in the appointment process.
Dr. Afzal argued in his petition that the Ministry of Science and Technology had repeatedly initiated and abandoned the hiring process, demonstrating a lack of commitment to appoint a regular Director General. PSQCA has been working without a regular DG since September 2021 due to which promotions of officers and other matters stopped in the institution.