62 SNGPL fake degree workers sacked
PHOTO: FILE
A sub-panel of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of parliament on Thursday sought the identification of the people responsible for the recruitment of the employees possessing fake degrees in the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) so that action could be taken against them.
A huddle of the review and implementation committee of the PAC was held in the Parliament House under the chairmanship of Syed Hussain Tariq, the convener of the body.
The committee was told that out of 67 employees, 62 had been dismissed for possessing fake degrees while the cases of five of the remaining ones were pending in court.
The petroleum secretary informed the committee that now, appointment letters were not issued until the degrees of the applicants were confirmed.
During the meeting, the audit objections related to the Petroleum Division from the year 2005-06 to 2017-18 were reviewed.
The participants of the meeting were told that the audit authorities had raised the issue of undocumented gas supply in Police Line No 1 Colony in Rawalpindi four times before the PAC.
They were further informed that on May 24, 2005, the gas supply to the colony was cut off.
The petroleum secretary said that the case was also being pursued in the court.
He added that despite their best efforts, they were not granted any relief in the case, compelling them to disconnect the gas supply to the colony.
The official continued that the residents of the colony had started using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Mushahid Hussain Syed, a member of the committee, responded that the PAC had issued its instructions in the year 2011 and the body appeared to be moving in circles.
He inquired how much loss had the SNGPL incurred.
The SNGPL acting managing director told him that the loss stood at Rs12 million.
On this, the committee directed the SNGPL that it should try for an out-of-court settlement.
Committee member Shahida Akhtar pointed out that the SNGPL managing director had introduced himself as working in an acting capacity,.
She asked why he was not being given the charge of a regular managing director.
The petroleum secretary told the committee that Amir Tufail was performing well.
To this, the committee inquired what was the reason for assigning him the task of the acting managing director.
The petroleum secretary replied that appointment of the managing director was carried under a process, which had not been kicked off yet.
Besides, he added that the previous managing director of the SNGPL had obtained a stay order from a court.
During the review of the issue of fake-degree holders' appointments to the company during the meeting, the SNGPL officials told the committee that 62 out of 67 people had been dismissed on the basis of false credentials while the cases of five of them were in court.
The petroleum secretary assured the committee that now, appointment letters were only issued after the degrees of the applicants had been authenticated.
To this, the convener of the committee directed the SNGPL officials to identify the people behind the appointment of fake-degree holders so that action could be taken against them.