ISLAMABAD - After a long delay, the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage has sent the name of recently promoted officer Zahida Parveen to the Establishment Division for the slot of Press Secretary to President, The Nation has learnt on Thursday.
The post of press secretary to President was lying vacant with the retirement of outgoing to PS to President Rao Liaquat by end of January.
According to sources, the Information Ministry conducted interviews of three senior officers, including Nasir Jamal and Zahoor Barlas. They said that Zahoor Barlas was the strongest candidate for the post but he failed to get promotion into grade 21.
The Central Selection Board recommended promotion of three officers of Information Group, including Nasir Jamal, Zahida Parveen and Zahoor Barlas. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif only gave approval to the promotion of Zahida Parveen and the cases of other two officers were referred back to the Board.
Sources said that the process of appointment of new Press Secretary to President delayed due to the absence of federal information secretary when acting charge of the secretary information was taken from Saba Mohsin Raza. The federal government gave additional charge of the post of Secretary Information to Shoaib Siddiqui for three months. Shoaib Siddiqui assumed the charge of secretary office last Monday and went through the summary regarding appointment of new PS to President.
Sources said that the Establishment Division has started the process of the appointment of Zahida Parveen and the notification will be issued in next few days.