Islamabad - The tug of war for the post of Director General (DG) Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) is likely to begin again after the acting head of the department has been ordered to repatriate to his home department, said an official on Saturday.

According to the update on website of Auditor General Pakistan (AGP) postings and transfers section, the acting DG FDE Hasnat Ahmed Qureshi has been transferred as Director (Finance) Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). But, the official has not been released from the duties by Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD).

The official said that a very key post of the education department of the federal capital remained unfilled on permanent basis by the previous government despite having the eligible candidates in the department.

There are 423 public sector schools and colleges under FDE while, the previous government had also allocated rs4billion for the up-gradation of schools and providing missing facilities to the institutions under Prime Minister Education Reforms Program (PMERP).

“The previous minister deliberately didn’t appoint the permanent DG of the FDE and the acting charge was given to Hasnat Qureshi in mid of the year 2017,” official said.

The official said that appointment of acting DG on the post had restricted its role in the implementation phase of PMERP.

“Later on National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiated an inquiry on alleged corruption in PMERP in the month of May,” official said. Promotion case of three FDE directors including Taj Muhammad Bhatti, Tanweer Ahmed and Zulfiqar Ali Rao were forwarded for the post but the CADD ministry had not taken decision to appoint anyone from the candidates.

One of the candidates running for post Tanweer Ahmed had also raised the issue in court where he sought his promotion case to BS-20 before the Central Selection Board (CSB).

The official said that in availability of directors on scale BS-19 from the administrative cadre there is also no need of appointing interim DG from senior college principals.

Hasnat Qureshi current DG FDE on look after charge is posted out and likely to relinquish charge soon and according to recruitment rules DG FDE is a promotional post.

Next senior most director in FDE putting up nearly 40 years of service out of which last ten years with education with federal government could be the possible option to be given the charge of DG FDE.

One of the principal was earlier made DG FDE and then removed from the post had also approached the Supreme Court (SC) against his ouster from the position.

Official said that the appointment on the post is made on DG FDE which is scale 20 position by CSB, while second option could be seeking application through Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) or by transfer posting procedure.

Meanwhile the current government has also announced of abolishing the CADD ministry and the education departments have been now transferred to the Federal Ministry for Education and Professional Training.

FDE, Directorate of Workers Education, Directorate General of Special Education, Social Welfare, Special Education, Welfare, Development and Rehabilitation of Children and Disabled in the federal area, Federal College of Education and Education in the capital, Federal Government Polytechnic Institute of Women (FGPIW), Private Educational Institutions Regularity Authority (PEIRA), Training, Education and Rehabilitation of disabled in Islamabad have been transferred to the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.

A senior official at Ministry of federal education wishing anonymity said that appointment of permanent DG FDE will be indeed an important decision for the ministry as it has the priority of reforming the government sector education from primary to intermediate level.

The official said that merit would be followed in appointments and promotions of the officials in FDE.