K-P files review petition in SC to retain PEDO chief

Mulls changes to PEDO Act 1993 as backup plan

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government is leaving no stone unturned to retain Akbar Ayub as CEO of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO), as besides moving the Supreme Court against the Peshawar High Court’s decision to remove Ayub, it is also seeking changes to the PEDO Act.

If the PHC decision to sack Ayub is declared null and void by the Supreme Court then all is well, otherwise the K-P government will go for the plan B, seeking amendment to the PEDO Act 1993, according to sources.

Ayub had left the office of the PEDO CEO after the completion of the 60-day period granted to the K-P government by the PHC for filing the Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal (CPLA) in the Supreme Court.



On June 7 this year, the PHC had struck down a notification of the K-P government issued on February 18, 2015, declaring vacant the post of PEDO CEO.

Ayub is said to be a blue-eyed boy of PTI’s central leader Asad Umar. The petitioner in the case, PEDO accountant Fazal Rahim, had also mentioned Umar’s role in Ayub’s appointment.

Declaring Ayub’s appointment illegal and in violation of merit, the high court had directed the K-P government to fill the vacant post strictly on merit.

On June 15, upon the request of the K-P government, the PHC issued a stay order, suspending the action on its earlier decision for a period of 60 days so that the K-P government could file a CPLA in the Supreme Court.

K-P Advocate General Abdul Latif Yousafzai confirmed that he had filed the CPLA in the Supreme Court on Saturday. Expressing unawareness about Ayub’s departure, he said that ideally Ayub should leave the office as the CPLA had been filed.



On the other hand, the K-P cabinet, in its last meeting held on Thursday, had approved the draft ordinance intended to change the qualification criteria in the PEDO Act 1993 necessary to become the CEO of PEDO.

The Section 5(1) of the PEDO Act 1993 states that the government shall appoint the CEO of the organisation from among the persons having expertise in the field of energy and power.

However, the draft ordinance states that the person eligible for the slot of CEO would have at least 15 years of experience in the field of law, business, engineering, finance, accounts, economics or power industry.

Sources in the K-P government say that the inclusion of finance, economics, law and business is intended to pave the way for the re-appointment of Ayub, who has vast experience in the finance industry.

“The minutes of the cabinet meeting are awaited after which the draft ordinance will be sent to the K-P governor for approval and then it will be promulgated,” said an official of the K-P government.

“After the promulgation of the ordinance, the vacant post of the CEO will be re-advertised and a scrutiny committee will shortlist the candidates for the slot,” he said. “Then the names of the three shortlisted candidates will be sent to the K-P chief minister who will select one of them.”

The official confirmed that Ayub had left the office and currently the secretary energy and power has been holding the charge as PEDO CEO.