K-P govt challenges PHC verdict in apex court

Govt plans to amend the PEDO Act 1993 to re-appoint Ayub as the CEO of the organisation

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has challenged a high court ruling against the appointment of Akbar Ayub as the chief executive officer of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO).

The government has filed a civil petition in the apex court, seeking grant of leave to appeal against the Peshawar High Court (PHC)’s June 7, verdict in which the court dismissed a notification issued by the provincial government to appoint Ayub as the CEO.

The court had declared Ayub’s appointment illegal and in violation of merit, while directing authorities to fill the vacant position as early as possible following merit.

The petitioner had claimed that Ayub’s appointment was politically motivated and was done at the behest of PTI central leader Asad Umar.

Later on June 15, the high court issued a stay order and suspended its earlier decision for 60 days upon the request of the K-P government to file a civil petition in the Supreme Court.

However, Ayub left the office after the provincial government failed to file a review petition within the 60-day period granted by the PHC.

K-P Advocate General Abdul Latif Yousafzai confirmed that they filed a review petition in the Supreme Court on Saturday. However, he was unaware about Ayub’s departure from the office. Ayub should have left the office after a CPLA has been filed, he added.

Earlier, K-P cabinet in a recent meeting nodded approval to an ordinance aimed at changing the qualification needed to be appointed as the CEO of the organisation. The government will make relevant changes to the PEDO Act 1993 in this regard.

According to the present law, the CEO must have previous experience in the power and energy sector. The draft ordinance, however, states that anyone having 15 years of experience in the fields of law, business, engineering, finance and power sector would be eligible for the post.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2017.