Approximately 60% of federal government officers who appeared in the written test for Trade and Investment Officer (TIO) positions in Pakistani missions abroad have failed to qualify.
According to the results of the written test, conducted by the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), out of 178 candidates, 106 failed to secure the required 60% marks, leaving only 72 successful candidates. The successful officers include 37 from BPS-18, 22 from BPS-19, and 13 from BPS-20.
The majority of the qualifying candidates belong to the Inland Revenue Service (IRS) with 25 officers, followed by the Commerce & Trade Group (19), Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) (13), Customs (8), Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service (PAAS) (3), and 2 each from the Office Management Group (OMG) and Economist groups.
Selection and Appointment Process
The written test accounts for 60% of the total evaluation, while the remaining 40% will be based on interviews conducted by a board headed by the Commerce Minister, with approval from the Prime Minister.
A total of 28 positions for Trade and Investment Officers are available in Pakistani missions abroad. However, five posts, including Ambassador WTO-Geneva (BS-21/22), Economic Minister Brussels (BS-20), two Trade and Investment Counsellors (TIC)-WTO in Geneva (BS-19), and Director (ECO) in Tehran (BS-19), have been exempted from the written test. These appointments will be made through the Special Selection Board (SSB).
Policy Guidelines for Recruitment
Under the policy, all TIO posts, except those exempted, that are vacant or expected to become vacant within the next 12 months are advertised with eligibility criteria. For the remaining 23 positions, quotas are reserved for officers based on their grades:
- 40% for BPS-20
- 50% for BPS-19
- 60% for BPS-18
If there are insufficient qualifying officers in a particular grade, the unfilled positions will be offered to the general pool of candidates.
Additionally, 10% of the posts are reserved for Pakistani diaspora and private-sector candidates (Pakistani nationals), provided they meet the eligibility criteria. Diaspora candidates can only be considered for posts in countries where they hold foreign nationality or residency. If suitable candidates are not available in this category, the quota will be allocated to qualified public-sector candidates based on merit.
Specialized Test Components
Shortlisted candidates must take a specialized test with the following components before final selection.
Mission Postings
Successful candidates will be posted in 23 missions, including:
Kabul, Moscow, Istanbul, London, Athens, Urumqi, Baghdad, Singapore, Chengdu, Beijing, Paris, Frankfurt, Tehran, Tashkent, Los Angeles, Budapest, Muscat, Darussalam, Maputo, Kuwait City, Brussels, Doha, and Dushanbe.
This process ensures that selected officers are well-prepared to represent Pakistan’s trade and investment interests globally.
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