Zarrar Hasham Khan, a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in technology and telecommunications, has been appointed as the Federal Secretary of IT and Telecommunications. Khan, a former senior executive at Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), was selected through an open market process initiated by the Establishment Division.
His appointment, which is on a two-year contract, represents a shift in the government’s approach to key appointments. Khan topped the list of candidates, followed by Azfar Manzoor and Usman Mubeen. The selection process, led by Federal Minister Ahad Cheema, involved public advertisement and interviews with multiple candidates. Khan will serve on a Special Professional Pay Scale One (SPSS-1), with a salary ranging from Rs1.5 to Rs2 million per month.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved his appointment, which has now been officially confirmed by the Establishment Division.
Khan holds a degree from the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute and has furthered his education at Harvard Business School, Oxford University, London Business School, and the University of Warwick, where he earned his MBA. He has held leadership roles in major telecom companies, including as Chief Technology Officer at Saudi Telecom Company (STC) in Kuwait, where he played a key role in one of the largest global 5G deployments in 2019.
