The post of director general (BS-21) PHA was advertised on November 10, 2019. The short listing committee evaluated all the 48 applications received, and thereafter recommended nine eligible candidates for consideration of interview by the selection aboard constituted by the prime minister. The board comprised, federal minister for science and technology (chairman/convener); secretary Ministry of Science and Technology (member), senior joint secretary (discipline), Establishment Division (member); senior joint secretary (admin) MoST (member); joint technological adviser; and deputy secretary (organisation) MoST (member). The selection board conducted presentation and detailed interviews of eight candidates who appeared on January 24, 2020 and recommended the following three candidates in order of merit for appointment as director general (BS-21) PHA, including, Akhtar Ahmed Bughio, Mukhtar Paras Shah, and Ateequr Rehman. As per Section 9(I) of PHA Act No VIII of 2016, the federal government is the appointing authority for director general (BS-21) PHA. The federal cabinet being the federal government in terms of Supreme Court judgment in civil appeals No.1428/2016 dated 18-8-2016 is required to accord its approval of one name from among the panel of three candidates mentioned in the summary for appointment as director general (BS-21), PHA on contract basis for a term of three years.