Govt Halts PSO Hiring Ahead of Board Transition

The Petroleum Division has directed Pakistan State Oil (PSO) to suspend senior-level recruitment and defer major management decisions as the tenure of its Board of Directors nears completion later this month, The News reported. 

An official communication said the current board’s term will expire on May 28, 2026, and the government has initiated the process of forming a new board under the State-Owned Enterprises (Governance and Operations) Act, 2023 and the SOEs Policy, 2023.

The directive instructs the existing board to hold off on senior appointments, transfers and hiring decisions, leaving these matters for the incoming board once it is constituted.

Sources described the directive as an intervention in PSO’s affairs, raising concerns about its impact on operational autonomy at a time when the oil supply chain is under pressure due to global price increases linked to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

They said questions had also emerged over recent imports of high-speed diesel and the pricing of those shipments.

However, officials said the move is intended to align key human resource decisions with the strategy of the new leadership and ensure continuity in governance.

Officials rejected these concerns, stating that the measures are aimed at maintaining transparency and allowing the new board to take full responsibility for strategic and leadership decisions. They added that higher import costs reflect elevated international premiums and the need to ensure an uninterrupted domestic supply.

Pakistan State Oil, the country’s largest oil marketing company, plays a central role in maintaining fuel supply across the country, making management decisions critical to operations.