Questions Raised Over IHRA CEO Appointment as Officials Remain Silent
Nadeem Tanoli
Islamabad: Questions are being raised regarding the appointment process of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) after the position was publicly advertised but the recruitment process appears not to have been finalized through the advertised competitive procedure.
Documents show that the CEO position of IHRA was advertised on 24 November 2025, inviting applications from qualified candidates with significant experience in public health, hospital administration, regulation, law, finance or related sectors for a three-year contract position reporting to the Board of Authority.
However, discussions have emerged after Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia assumed the position of CEO, prompting questions among observers about whether the appointment followed the statutory procedure defined in the Islamabad Healthcare Regulation Act 2018.
Under Section 12 of the Act, the Board of Authority is responsible for appointing the CEO to ensure merit based selection and institutional independence of the healthcare regulator. Legal observers have also pointed to Section 13(b) of the Act, which states that a person employed in the service of the federation or province, or holding an office paid from public funds, may not hold the office of CEO.
The issue has also drawn attention to the governance history of the authority. Records indicate that the previous Board of Authority completed its tenure in May 2023, while the then CEO Dr. Quaid Saeed’s tenure ended in June 2023 but reportedly continued until December 2024, during a period when the authority was operating without a statutory board.
A new Board of Authority was eventually constituted in October 2024, ending a governance gap that lasted nearly 14 months. The most recent vacancy reportedly occurred after the resignation of Dr. Syed Ahmad Raza Kazmi in December 2025, after which the recruitment advertisement for the CEO position was issued.
In an effort to obtain clarification, this correspondent sent questions regarding the appointment process to Sajid Shah, PRO of the Ministry of National Health Services, and Kamran Ansari, Joint Secretary at the Ministry, seeking clarification about the legal basis of the appointment and whether the recruitment process advertised for the position had been completed.
Similar questions were also sent to Dr. Muhammad Zaeem Zia, CEO IHRA, asking whether he is serving the position through a permanent appointment, deputation, or additional charge, and whether the Board of Authority formally approved the appointment under the IHRA Act.
However, no response was received from the Ministry of National Health Services or IHRA officials by the time the report was filed.
Experts believe that transparent clarification regarding the recruitment process and legal framework surrounding the CEO appointment could help strengthen public confidence in the regulatory authority responsible for overseeing healthcare standards in the federal capital.
Read in Urdu: آئی ایچ آر اے کے چیف ایگزیکٹو کی تقرری پر سوالات، حکام خاموش
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