Conflict of interest: Placing regulatory bodies under ministries challenged

Petitioners claim move violates Constitution, gives free hand to businesses

ISLAMABAD: The government’s decision to place five key regulatory authorities under the relevant ministries was challenged on Tuesday before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Muhammad Nawaz, a worker of the Pakistan Justice and Democratic Party (PJDP), through his counsel Sheikh Ahsanuddin, had approached the IHC against the government’s decision, urging the court to declare the move unlawful.

The prime minister through the principal secretary, federal government through secretary cabinet division, secretaries ministry of petroleum and natural resources, ministry of water and power division, ministry of information technology, finance division, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) through its chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) through its chairman, the chairman of the Frequency Allocation Board, Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and the All Pakistan CNG Association are listed as respondents.

PJDP, which is headed by former Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry, had assailed the Cabinet Division’s notification of December 19 which placed administrative control of the five regulatory bodies under the ministries whose activities and functions they were supposed to watch, monitor and regulate under the law.

The regulatory bodies include Nepra, Ogra, PTA, Frequency Allocation Board and PPRA. In the petition, Ahsanuddin argued that the government’s move violated Articles 153 and 154 of the Constitution, which deal with the Council of Common Interests (CCI) role in issues relating to gas, electricity and petroleum.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2016.