Controversial promotions at PSO; blue-eyed officials get the nod

Officials promoted on three-month probation: MD.


Our Correspondent February 13, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Promotion first and then a test and interview, apparently this is the policy being used at Pakistan State Oil (PSO) where a large number of blue-eyed officials have been promoted.

Several Deputy Managing Directors (DMDs) have been promoted to General Managers (GMs) amid ignoring many senior officials that has raised many eyebrows in the country’s largest oil marketing company. Some managers have also been promoted to DMDs.

Various employees who expressed discontent on recent promotions told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity that work in the company was suffering because of these controversial promotions. Employees have alleged that these promotions were made on political grounds. The PSO management has also created two additional posts of General Mangers (GMs) retail despite the company facing serious cash constraints, these sources said.

A policy was made to adjust some ‘favourite’ officials to top slots, according to sources. The officials have already been promoted first while there tests and interviews will be conducted later. Meanwhile, junior officers will undergo tests and interviews before a promotion.

PSO Managing Director Naeem Yahya Ameer told Express Tribune that these officials were promoted on a three-month probation period.

They will have to undergo a test and interview after the probation period comes to an end, said Ameer adding that if they fail the process, their promotions will be reverted.

He further said that these officials were working on acting charges earlier and now they were given permanent charges. “The board of directors empowered me to promote these officials,” he said.

According to officials, Lt Col (retd) Fazle Abbas has been promoted to General Manager (Administration and Security Services) with effect from January 30, 2012. Abbas’ promotion was rejected three times by the board of directors before finally giving approval.

Ambreen Shah, who joined as company secretary in May 2011, was promoted to General Manager (Legal Affairs) despite the fact that an employee needs to have at least ten years experience to become a general manager, according to an official. However, PSO Board of Directors Chairman Suhail Wajahat refuted this by saying that Ambreen Shah was originally appointed as general manager and not as company secretary and now she was just being confirmed as GM (Legal Affairs).

Naved Alam Zubairi, Executive Director (Special Assignments) has been re-designated as Senior General Manager (Operations) despite being charged with misappropriation several times. Wajahat on this appointment said that Zubairi had been cleared from all charges of corruption.

Shamail Sharaf Shah who joined PSO as Deputy General Manager (Training & Organisational Development) in 2010 was promoted to General Manager (Training & Organisational Development).

Other officials who have been promoted to general managers include Dr Altaf Hussain Soomro, Mohammad Nasir Khan, Hasan Ali Hamdani, Asif Aslam Khan, Khalid Mahmood, Arif Nasib, Raja Imranullah, Hammad Zafar, Amjad Mahmood Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.

COMMENTS (4)

Wise | 12 years ago | Reply

All are relatives of ministers and Prime Minister Employees having no approach are ignored for many years dispite of recommendations in annual confidential reports. That is why PSO is at this stage. Alassss

TK | 12 years ago | Reply

Company should be judged based on its financial performance, return to shareholders and value it creates for people. Not based on whether senior people have been looked over for promotion. Mark Zuckberg, founder of facebook credited for Egyptian revolution and what have you is under 30 years old. There are several examples. When will we understand that age does not always have anything to do with being able to create value. If the promotions have been done against the rules or procedures laid out that is a different matter but the management should have the discretion to decide how to promote and who not to. They should then be held accountable for performance of the organization also.

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