NAB sends notices to heads of oil and gas companies

Seeks record of their appointments; former PMs may also be implicated

ISLAMABAD: Former prime ministers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government may be implicated for making questionable appointments of heads of oil and gas companies, which has prompted the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to initiate a probe.

The anti-corruption watchdog has sent notices to the heads of all state-owned oil and gas companies and directed the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) to provide record pertaining to their appointments, officials told The Express Tribune.

Government Holdings Private Ltd

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had appointed Shahid Islam as head of GHPL, but he did not apply for the post and had also crossed the age of 62.



Islam played a key role in striking a liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal with Qatar, when he was suspended as the head of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) following a petrol crisis in Punjab in January 2015.

He served for three years in GHPL, but did not receive any salary due to a dispute with the board of directors over the remuneration. He claimed a pay of over Rs10 million per month, which the board refused, after which he retired from office.

PSO

The second dubious appointment was that of Sheikh Imranul Haq, who was appointed as the head of PSO. Haq had been heading a company of the Engro group that was dealing with an LNG terminal.

After the award of the LNG terminal contract to Engro, Haq was picked to take charge of PSO. The state-run oil marketing company was importing LNG and Engro was the terminal operator, which pointed to a conflict of interest.

Additionally, Haq was made PSO managing director without any experience in the oil sector. In order to justify the appointment, the government, in a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee, decided to treat gas as a petroleum product.



According to official sources, Haq later applied for a three-month leave before the completion of PML-N’s tenure. However, NAB placed his name on the exit control list (ECL).

Pakistan LNG Ltd (PLL)

Adnan Gilani was appointed as the head of PLL, a company that deals with multibillion-dollar LNG supplies.

He had worked in the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad had written a strong-worded note, saying that Gilani was not capable of becoming CEO of the LNG company as he lacked experience.

A summary to promote him was rejected, however, later he was appointed chief operating officer of PLL.

When Shahid Khaqan Abbasi became prime minister, Gilani was promoted to the post of CEO replacing Azam Sufi. So far, the government has secured 200 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of LNG through short and long-term contracts and the remaining 400 mmcfd was being arranged through spot purchases.

It had received high bids for spot LNG purchase and has now decided to ink LNG supply deals with energy-rich countries on a government-to-government basis. Currently, negotiations are being held with Azerbaijan, Russia, Malaysia and Oman.

Pakistan Petroleum Ltd (PPL)

The appointment of the PPL head, Syed Wamiq Bokhari, had also led to a controversy as he was a dual national and an advertisement in that regard was designed to suit him.



Contrary to the newspaper advertisements given for other companies, the maximum age limit in PPL’s case was set at 55 years with flexibility up to 57 years if the applicant had extraordinary credentials.

This, the official said, was aimed at keeping Asim M Khan and Khalid Rahman - former managing directors of PPL - and other experienced candidates away. For other companies, qualified professionals with requisite experience, even above 60 years of age, could apply for the slot. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2018.

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