A file photo of PM Imran Khan chairing a federal cabinet meeting. PHOTO: PTI
NFML has been distributing imported urea to farmers in order to stabilise the market. According to media reports, a Rs300-billion scandal had been unearthed in 2011 in which a powerful group comprising federal ministers, elected officials and senior civil servants were allegedly involved through the dumping, smuggling and black-marketing of the fertiliser imported by the government.
The NFML management had also informed a parliamentary panel in 2016 that imported urea worth Rs1.6 billion had been stolen from its storages in connivance with the people deputed there in 2013 and 2014.
Now, in a recent meeting of the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the rationale of keeping NFML operational was discussed. It was informed that the matter had been deliberated in detail and the company would be wound up. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Industries and Production was contacted for comment but he did not reply.
The NFML issue came up for review in the cabinet while considering the appointment of NFML managing director. The cabinet was told that the MD/CEO was required to be appointed for an interim period.
A representative of the Establishment Division said the Industries and Production Division had requested the posting of an officer as the NFML managing director, while pointing out that the post had become vacant after the retirement of Manzar Hayat on September 23, 2019.
NFML is a public sector company working under the Industries and Production Division. As per Rule 5(2) of the Public Sector Companies (Corporate Governance ) Rules 2013, as amended up to April 21, 2017, the board shall evaluate candidates based on the fit and proper criteria and guidelines specified by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan for appointment to the position of chief executive/managing director and recommend at least three candidates to the government for its concurrence for the appointment of one of them as chief executive officer of the public sector company except where the chief executive officer is nominated by the government.
On receiving concurrence or nomination from the government, as the case may be, the board shall appoint the chief executive officer in accordance with the rules.
The federal government has powers under Section 187 (4) of the Companies Act 2017 to nominate the CEO of a public sector company. Moreover, the federal government has been defined as the federal cabinet in Article 90 of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973 and the Supreme Court had also passed a judgement in that regard.
The Establishment Division recommended a panel of BS-21 officers of the Pakistan Administrative Service for posting and appointment as the NFML managing director.
These included Dr Asmat Tahira, Muhammad Asad Islam Mahni and Inamullah Khan Dharejo. The three officials were OSD in the Establishment Division and were awaiting posting.
The Establishment Division proposed that any officer from amongst the panel may be transferred and posted as the NFML managing director with immediate effect and until further orders.
The cabinet considered the summary and approved the nomination of Dr Asmat Tahira as the managing director of NFML.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 24th, 2019.
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