Since commercial modelling is vital in the field of alternate energy.
LAHORE: This is in response to a report in your newspaper titled "Alternate energy board to be probed" by Shahbaz Rana (January 1). In 2003, I was called to the prime minister’s secretariat in my capacity as chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation to discuss the formation of the Alternate Energy Development Board (AEDB). The meeting was presided by one of the advisers to then prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali. In fact, in the meeting, while the AEDB was being discussed, one of the participants recommended the name of an air marshal to head it. Since commercial modelling is vital in the field of alternate energy, I opposed the appointment of a person in uniform. Dr Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, the then deputy chairman of the Planning Commission also agreed with me. Despite our concerns, the said air marshal was appointed chairman. Now the activities of the board are being investigated.
There should also be a probe on all such appointments that are made disregarding merit and common sense.
I suggest that the minutes of the meeting held at the prime minister’s secretariat in 2003 in which the said decision was taken be used in the investigation.
Dr Farid A Malik
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2011.
