A professional from the private sector and former senior executive at Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), Zarrar Hasham Khan has been appointed as the Federal Secretary of IT and Telecommunications.

His selection was made through an open market process initiated by the Establishment Division.

He has been appointed on contract for two years.

Khan was on the top of the panel, Azfar Manzoor second and Usman Mubeen third.

The position was advertised publicly, and Khan’s appointment signifies a notable change in the federal government’s strategy for key appointments.

The Selection Board, led by Federal Minister Ahad Cheema, interviewed multiple candidates and shortlisted three: Zarrar Hasham Khan, Azfar Manzoor, and Usman Mubeen.

Khan emerged as the top candidate and will serve on a Special Professional Pay Scale One (SPSS-1), earning a monthly salary ranging from Rs1.5 to Rs2 million.

The Establishment Division has formally confirmed his appointment following approval from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

With over 20 years of experience in technology and telecommunications, Khan is a graduate of the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute and has furthered his education at prestigious institutions like Harvard Business School, Oxford University, and London Business School, in addition to earning an MBA from the University of Warwick. His career includes leadership roles at major telecom companies, notably serving as Chief Technology Officer at Saudi Telecom Company (STC) in Kuwait, where he was instrumental in one of the largest global 5G deployments in 2019.