Masood Sadiqui appointed OGDC managing director

Prime minister interviews three candidates before selection.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has appointed Masood Sadiqui as managing director of Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC), the largest oil and gas explorer of the country.

The appointment came after the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources sent a summary to the prime minister containing three names including Sadiqui, Riaz Khan and Shehbaz Khan. Sadiqui is a former chief executive of a small oil and gas exploration company – Premier Kufpec Pakistan – and has been associated with a construction company since 2006. He will replace Bisharat Mirza, the acting managing director of OGDC.

According to a senior official of the petroleum ministry, before the selection the prime minister interviewed the three candidates on Friday and approved the appointment of Sadiqui as new head of OGDC. However, notification in this regard had not yet been issued, the official said.

When Petroleum Secretary Ejaz Chaudhry was contacted for confirmation of Sadiqui’s appointment, he said, “I have heard so, but no official order has been received so far.”

Of the three candidates, only Riaz Khan, who is currently working as executive director of OGDC, was shortlisted through the process of advertising the post in newspapers. However, sources said, the other two were shortlisted on the recommendation of a headhunter who gave names of Masood Sadiqui and Shehbaz Khan. Shehbaz Khan has worked at MOL Pakistan, the operator of an oil and gas field.

Some government officials described the selection of candidates through the headhunter as dubious. They said the headhunter was hired without any selection process as the petroleum ministry was required to advertise and then select a headhunter.

The headhunter was hired by OGDC for a salary compensation survey, but was also asked to give nominations for the slot of managing director.

However, a senior official of the petroleum ministry claimed that the headhunter hired by OGDC could be given any assignment. The summary of the panel of candidates was sent to the prime minister on merit and in compliance with rules and regulations and therefore the appointment of managing director was transparent.

In a bid to revive the cash-strapped energy sector, Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain had sacked all managing directors of public sector oil and gas companies after being appointed adviser to the prime minister on petroleum and natural resources in April 2011.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.