A top executive of a government-owned company who failed in his mandate to shore up the country’s furniture exports and take them past the $1 billion mark was rewarded even after the company’s board declined to extend his job contract.
Dr Shahzad Anser was appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of a company on contract in February 2009 for a two-year term by the federal government on the basis of his political affiliation.
A board of directors (BoD) consisting of 24 members headed by Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Yasmeen Rehman was established in July 2010 to oversee the affairs of the company and to monitor its performance.
The company was tasked with establishing two common Facility Training and Manufacturing Centres in Peshawar and Chiniot for the capacity building and training of indigenous artisans engaged in the manufacture of furniture. The company was to establish 75 solar kilns and distribute them among local furniture manufacturers for seasoning and drying of wood within a two-year period.
It was also assigned to raise the profile of Pakistan’s furniture manufacturers in international exhibitions and to attract foreign investors and buyers to revitalise the furniture industry. The CEO was given the target to enhance furniture exports to $1 billion by 2013. The government provided Rs600 million as seed money to the company for achieving these three objectives.
The CEO allegedly embezzled Rs35 million in the purchase of land, the establishment of solar kilns, recruitments and other non-development expenditures during his tenure which ended in February 2011.
The board in its meeting on January 19 was unanimous in its opposition to the CEO’s extension. Board members observed that he failed to meet deadlines for all three objectives. He had undertaken capital expenditure without authority and was guilty of misappropriating funds.
Dr Anser who served as the CEO of the Chichawatni Power Plant owned by Yousaf Raza Gilani and is a family friend approached the prime minister to intervene in the matter, sources said.
The PM dissolved the board on January 24 after it refused to grant a two-year extension to Dr Anser without taking its Chairperson Yasmeen Rehman into confidence.
The federal government appointed Anser as a member of the commission and offered him an MP-1 and perks and privileges in the first week of March.
Sources said the federal government had accommodated another corrupt and inefficient man without seeking an explanation for previous wrongdoing and corruption in FP which has virtually collapsed. Anser was not a qualified professional contrary to the information displayed on the CCP website that he is a fellow of the Trinity College, a certified Doctorate SME manager from the Cambridge Association of Management. This educational institution does not offer this particular course, the sources added.
Dr Anser when contacted said the ministry of finance had notified his appointment on the PM’s recommendation. He said he had done his best for the company but a certain lobby was hatching a conspiracy against him.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 18th, 2011.
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