The federal government has introduced a new merit-based policy for appointments at Pakistan's overseas trade missions, making written examinations, skill tests, and interviews mandatory for government employees seeking foreign postings.
Issued by the Ministry of Commerce, the policy covers appointments for Commercial Assistants, Drivers, Messenger-cum-Drivers, and Security Guards.
It establishes a selection process based on merit, eligibility, seniority, and past performance, with candidates required to meet specific service and qualification criteria.
Written Tests and Interviews for Commercial Assistants Under the new policy, written examinations will carry 60 percent weightage in the selection of Commercial Assistants, while interviews will account for 30 percent and past performance for the remaining 10 percent.
The examination will carry 70 marks, while the skill test will account for 30 marks. Candidates securing less than 50 percent marks in the examination will be declared ineligible.
All applicants will be required to appear for examinations at the Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (PITAD) in Islamabad.
Successful candidates will also have to complete mandatory four-week training before leaving for their overseas assignments.
New Eligibility Rules for Drivers and Other Staff The policy stipulates that Drivers and Messenger-cum-Drivers will be selected based on seniority and eligibility. Applicants must possess a valid driving license that is at least five years old.
Candidates will also undergo driving skill assessments, including tests of their ability to use GPS and Google Maps for navigation.
The policy further requires all applicants for overseas appointments to have at least five years of continuous service in the Ministry of Commerce.
Restrictions on Repeat Foreign Postings Employees returning from overseas assignments will become eligible for another posting after a mandatory gap of two years.
The normal tenure of an appointment at an overseas trade mission has been fixed at three years. However, employees who have already completed two overseas postings will not qualify for further assignments.
Similarly, those who have served continuously for six years at the same trade mission will be barred from applying for another posting.
Employees facing departmental proceedings, major penalties, or having a record of poor performance will also be declared ineligible for overseas assignments.
The policy makes security clearance and medical fitness certificates mandatory for all selected candidates. Family members accompanying employees abroad will also be required to submit medical fitness certificates.
The Ministry of Commerce said the new rules aim to ensure transparent, merit-based, and efficient appointments at Pakistan's overseas trade missions.
Public policy specialists and governance analysts view structured administrative initiatives as critical building blocks for institutional efficiency, social equity, and public welfare across Pakistan.
Coordinating policy execution across federal divisions, provincial secretariats, and local directorates ensures that state directives achieve tangible community benefits while maintaining strict operational transparency and budgetary accountability.
Administrative oversight bodies and public monitoring departments are actively deploying digitized service desks and computerized verification systems to streamline public service delivery.
By removing procedural bottlenecks and integrating transparent verification mechanisms, public institutions are working to ensure that civic facilities, developmental benefits, and state safeguards are accessible to all citizens without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
Citizens and civic stakeholders are encouraged to rely on verified government gazettes, certified departmental web portals, and official facilitation counters for authoritative information.
Administrative directorates emphasize that public inquiries, official feedback, and grievance redressals can be registered directly through official departmental helplines and established public service portals.