Gas utility hires secretary accused of fraud

SSGC initiates investigation, terminates employment contract

ISLAMABAD:

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has hired a company secretary who allegedly committed fraud in a private company earlier, leading to his termination from services.

As the matter came to light, the disgruntled employees of SSGC, a public gas utility, wrote a letter along with relevant proof to company Board Chairperson Shamshad Akhtar for remedy. “This is to bring to your knowledge that the recently designated company secretary, Mateen Sadiq, who worked for JS Global from December 2006 to July 2011 as head of operations, was found involved in fraudulent activity unearthed by an internal investigation after the stock exchange reported unusual suspected activities against relatives of one Atif Malik,” said the letter.

Sadiq had been initially issued a warning letter, they said, adding that an inquiry established that he was liable to serious disciplinary action including dismissal from service under his employment contract. He was terminated on July 20, 2011. According to the SSGC employees, Sadiq, after his termination, took away a company car and a company provided Blackberry phone. The company issued him a legal notice to return the assets immediately or else an FIR would be lodged against him. He returned the goods on September 7, 2011.

“This person, who was terminated from a prestigious financial institution, is now on a statutory position thanks to this board members’ kindness on appointing him as company secretary without following a competitive process,” the SSGC employees said in the letter. It is worth mentioning that the person had manipulated the board and management in order to increase his salary from Rs350,000 in June 2022 to Rs1,400,000 in July 2023.

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“Although professional charges have been discontinued by the board, this person is still drawing them as a special case.” It was pointed out that he was also made the HR head, in addition to being company secretary, which was a conflict of interest.

The SSGC staff drew attention of the board chairperson that the person also failed to provide information to the company at the time of his appointment he was in litigation with his earlier employer till 2016.

When contacted, SSGC managing director said “we have to get this investigated so no take right now.”

When asked for further comments, SSGC said “Mateen voluntarily declared about his termination at JS Global (who even wasn’t his immediate last employer) in his interview at SSGC as noted by the then SGM HR in his ‘Interview Score Sheet’ who was in the panel of interview. His hiring was approved by the then board HR committee.”

“We are investigating the matter but on the face of it Mateen’s employment contract was terminated on ‘Simplicitor Clause’ ie, termination without assigning any reason. He was paid his full settlement as well as termination notice pay,” the company added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2023.

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