Farani tipped to become OGDC head

Petroleum ministry makes recommendation to prime minister.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is expected to appoint Zahid Imran Farani as new managing director of Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC), the largest oil and gas explorer in the country.

For Government Holding Private Limited (GHPL), the government is likely to announce the name of Insar Nasar for the post of managing director.

Farani is currently working as general manager exploration in OGDC and has vast experience of oil and gas exploration. By writing a dissenting note, he previously blocked an attempt by some elements to sell the largest oil and gas field, Zen, located in Balochistan with estimated seven trillion cubic feet of gas reserves, to a private sector company.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the Ministry of Petroleum, in its summary sent to the prime minister, recommended these two candidates for appointment as managing directors of OGDC and GHPL.

Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain said: “I sent some names for appointment as OGDC managing director and Zahid Farani got highest points during the selection process.”

Earlier, four executives of OGDC gave interviews for the post of managing director, but the petroleum ministry recommended Farani for the slot.

Sources said OGDC’s Acting Managing Director Asif Sindhu would leave the company on July 31 as the government has given the charge to General Manager Supply Chain Management Bisharat Mirza. He will stay by the time a new managing director is appointed. “I have been given the acting MD charge,” Mirza acknowledged.

Farani and Mirza had been ignored in the past for elevation to the slot of executive director which sparked some controversy. Mirza even registered his protest with the management by writing a letter to then managing director Naeem Malik.

Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain had sacked managing directors of all public sector oil and gas companies after he was appointed adviser to the prime minister on petroleum and natural resources few months ago.

In the case of oil marketing giant Pakistan State Oil (PSO), sources said 10 candidates had been shortlisted for the post of managing director.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2011.