OGRA chairman’s appointment: SC seeks record of CNG licences issued

Petition claims Sadiq’s degree is not recognised locally.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the list of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) licences issued in the last 10 years from Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).

Advocate Mian Abdur Rauf, the counsel for petitioner Muhammad Yasin, who has challenged the eligibility and appointment of Ogra chairman Tauqeer Sadiq, submitted before a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan that the post of Ogra chairman was advertised in newspapers in March 2009. He said 20 years of work experience was required along with relevant education.

Presenting the CV of Sadiq, the counsel contended that he (Sadiq) was serving in Ogra as a senior law officer. Sadiq applied for the post and got the job on the basis of his law degree and experience, he said.

The counsel contended that Sadiq did not qualify for the post and yet he was appointed as Ogra chairman.

Justice Jawad S Khawaja remarked that social evils, like nepotism and corruption, were reasons why so many people turned to courts for justice.

“It’s a serious matter. Even if a devil filed an application in court, it will be taken up,” Justice Khawaja said in his remarks.

Rauf said Sadiq based his application for the post of Ogra chairman on his LLM degree, adding that it was not recognised by any institution in the country.

The bench directed Ogra to submit a comparative statement about the issuance of CNG licences before and after Sadiq’s appointment as Ogra chairman on the next hearing. The court adjourned the hearing till October 3.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th,  2011.