Not enough members: OGRA likely to face quorum hitch in future

Member oil reportedly holds a dual nationality, which could hinder future decisions

ISLAMABAD: The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) is likely to face lack of quorum in future to take decisions on revenue requirements of gas utilities and granting licence for LNG terminal as its member oil holds a dual nationality.

Ogra’s Member Oil reportedly also holds nationality of the UK, and he is likely to be part of a few important future decisions regarding final revenue requirement (FRR) of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL).

The regulator has also called a hearing to grant license to Trafigura Pakistan (Private) Limited to carry out the sale of Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) in the country.

Officials said Trafigura Pakistan had earlier submitted an application with Ogra for grant of licence to carry out sale of LNG/RLNG. The public hearing has been called for December 18, 2018 to take a decision in this regard while the member oil will be part of the hearing as well.

The officials also said that without participation of Ogra’s member oil, quorum of Ogra will not be completed as currently Ogra is working without member gas.

When contacted, a senior official of the authority said that the member oil will inform the federal cabinet about his decision either he will carry on the job or he will surrender his dual nationality. He said, “It is the prerogative of the federal government to appoint and remove member, chairman of Ogra,” adding that so far no final decision has been announced by the regulator’s member oil regarding his job and nationality.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision pertaining to dual nationalities of government officers, hundreds of government servants appointed in various federal and provincial government ministries, statutory bodies, institutes, companies, semi-autonomous corporations, and authorities are likely to be removed from their jobs.

In this regard, the federal government is expected to issue a letter shortly asking government servants holding a dual nationality to either leave the job or surrender the foreign nationality. The federal government will also give a deadline for the decision, officials added.

A bench of the apex court on Saturday announced the detailed judgment in the dual nationalities’ case which says, “The acquisition of foreign nationalities and permanent residence permits etc by citizens during employment in the government service or autonomous/semi-autonomous statutory bodies/organisations and companies etc, which are owned/controlled/governed by the federal and/or provincial governments, indicates, prima facie, and indeed in many cases (but not all) is, an intention to securely dispatch ill-gotten gains procured during service and to relocate their families and/or themselves during service and/or after retirement. Such individuals deserve no leniency.”

“This is intended to send a strong signal to all officials in the employment of the government of Pakistan at any level that they must not deceive Pakistan by breaking the trust that they have been bestowed upon by virtue of their office,” the judgment adds.

Reportedly, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had submitted a list of around 1,000 dual nationals holding government offices with the Supreme Court. According to the FIA, as many as 719 officers had declared their dual national status while others chose to hide it.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 18^th, 2018.

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