Govt Restricts Interim/Active Appointments of Executive Staff At All Ministries

The federal government has moved to curb administrative and financial irregularities by restricting the use of “look after charge” arrangements in ministries and government departments.

In an official clarification, the Establishment Division stated that there is no legal provision for “look after charge” appointments under the Civil Servants Act, 1973.

Ministries and divisions have been directed to refrain from assigning such arrangements to senior posts.

It said officers may only be assigned temporary responsibility to manage routine office matters. However, financial, administrative, or policy-making powers cannot be exercised unless an officer is formally granted an additional or current charge under existing rules.

The Establishment Division said the clarification was issued after growing concerns over administrative complications and financial decision-making by officials serving without proper legal authority.

Under the new instructions, the senior-most available officer may temporarily supervise daily operations, but will not be permitted to take major policy, financial, or quasi-judicial decisions. Institutional heads will retain oversight authority and may review routine decisions when necessary.

All ministries and subordinate departments have also been instructed to immediately advertise vacant senior positions to ensure regular appointments are made without delay.

Sources said dozens of federal institutions are currently being run under “look after charge” arrangements. Among them, Murtaza Hassan Andrabi is serving on a temporary basis as Chairman of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council.

Similarly, four organizations under the Ministry of Science and Technology including the Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies and the National Institute of Electronics are reportedly operating under comparable interim arrangements.

The move will strengthen governance, reduce administrative misuse, and improve compliance with service rules across federal institutions.