Daily Times

In complete violation of all legal and moral norms and by using his influence in highest circles, former secretary establishment Ejaz Munir got himself appointed on the prized seat of rector National School of Public Policy (NSPP) – a prestigious institution for the training of civil servants in Pakistan.

This whole saga as to how Munir defrauded the appointing authority and the prime minister to get himself appointed as rector came to the surface when his, as well as the appointments of three deans in the NSPP, were challenged both in Lahore High Court (LHC) and Islamabad High Court (IHC). Munir by misusing his authority firstly inducted persons of his choice in the board of governors of the NSPP and the reconstituted selection board to pave the way for his appointment as rector.

After eliminating all potential hurdles, Ejaz Munir then got himself appointed on the seat-the notification for which was issued April this year. During the whole process, he being secretary establishment acted as the recruiter, which tantamounts to illegality and conflict of interest.

Munir manipulated the whole process of appointment and recruitment of rector NSPP in order to gain automated extension in service for three years and an exorbitant raise in pay from Rs300,000 to Rs1.5 million per month. His other emoluments include a bungalow at Mall Road Lahore and twice a year official visits abroad.

According to the petition filed in the LHC, Ejaz Munir violated Section 7 of the NSPP Amendment Act 2017, as he concealed from the appointing authority that he was a member of the selection committee. He acted in his arbitrarily self-assumed dual capacity of a recommender and recommendee of his name by sidelining the other two eligible candidates.

Munir also did not possess previous teaching and master trainer’s mandatory experience, nor did he have a PhD degree compared with the other two candidates. Munir, by education, is an MBBS doctor only. Section 5 of NSPP Regulations 2014 also legally obligates that the candidate to be considered for the position of rector must earlier have served as an instructor or in a management position in a training institute for civil servants, which Munir as an MBBS doctor never served.

Ejaz Munir also blatantly violated to his advantage Section 5 of NSPP Act 2002, where he himself is a member/recruiter of the NSPP board of governors. This is the second-worst example of self-aggrandisement in Pakistan’s governance history in terms of abuse of public office for private gains that is liable to a judicial trial under Section 9 of National Accountability Ordinance 1999.

It also merits mentioning here that despite Ejaz Munir’s appointment as rector NSPP, he did not relinquish his charge as secretary Establishment, and kept the notification of his appointment as rector NSPP a secret and continued to hold the post of Secretary Establishment. He relinquished the charge on the date he took charge as rector NSPP.

According to the petition, all these legal violations committed by Ejaz Munir shall be raised during LHC proceedings fixed for hearing on September 21.