Unwilling to let go...: DG PC sticks to post despite end of term

Has worn out his welcome by extending his tenure for 7 extra months.

ISLAMABAD:

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has allowed director general petroleum concession (DG PC) to hold the post longer than the notified period, sparking a controversy at a time when the country needs to step up efforts to find new oil and gas reserves to overcome the energy crisis.

According to a source, Sher Khan, a director in the petroleum ministry, was given the charge of DG PC for three months through a notification one year ago. However, he is still holding the slot, which is illegal.

Sources say that his case for promotion was also sent twice to the Central Selection Board, but was not promoted to grade 20 and was working in grade 19.

According to rules, the petroleum secretary can give the charge to officials working in grade 17 to 19. However, the ministry is required to seek approval of the prime minister for giving posts of grade 20 or above to these officials.

“Sher Khan is in grade 19 but he has been holding the post meant for grade 20 for the last one year without a fresh notification which requires approval of the prime minister,” a government official said, adding this was a gross violation of business rules of the government.

When contacted, Petroleum Secretary Ijaz Chaudhry neither confirmed nor denied the allegation. However, Additional Secretary Petroleum Abid Saeed said, “I will look into the matter.”

DG PC is a guardian of activities of oil and gas exploration companies. These companies have criticised the DG for not signing 77 supplemental agreements to convert their licences into Petroleum Policy 2009 from the previous policy, which has blocked exploration work for a long time.

According to sources, during the unauthorised period, the DG PC has signed different cases of petroleum exploration companies worth millions of dollars including the transfer of assets of British Petroleum to United Energy. He has also given several lease extensions to oil and gas exploration companies.

In his capacity as DG PC, he is also a member of the board of Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and other public sector companies. He has attended many board meetings and signed the minutes involving projects of more than $100 million. He is also working on the new petroleum policy for 2012 and low Btu policy.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2012.


�l'`^ �{� yle='font-size:8.0pt; font-family:"FedraSerifA Book";mso-bidi-font-family:"FedraSerifA Book"; color:black;letter-spacing:-.15pt'>A sub-committee of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on IP gas pipeline had decided that the government would go ahead with the project even if Russia and China showed reluctance.

 

 

In the project, an 800km-long pipeline will be laid from the Iran-Pakistan border to Nawabshah. The project has entered implementation phase and work on front-end engineering and design, feasibility and detailed route survey is under way.

 

A joint venture of Germany’s ILF and Pakistan’s Nespak has been tasked with the engineering work and survey, which is scheduled to be completed by June.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2012.