Chatha Punjab''s nominee on Nepra

Cabinet Division has reportedly proposed nomination of Saifullah Chatha as Member National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) from Punjab on the recommendations of the concerned provincial government. Sources in the Finance Division said the Prime Minister, in his capacity as minister in-charge of the Cabinet Division, has verbally approved the submission of the proposal through circulation amongst ministers of the federal cabinet.
The nomination of Chatha as member Nepra from Punjab was mooted in the proposal for a period of four years on a contract basis from March 3, 2017 while referring to the Peshawar High Court''s order dated February 1, 2017. The Peshawar High Court''s aforementioned order has suspended the implementation on the Cabinet Division''s decision of December 19, 2016 for placing Nepra under the administrative control of Ministry of Water and Power.
The cabinet was proposed that in view of the orders of the Peshawar High Court, the instant case is being processed for approval of the federal government for appointment of Chattha as member Nepra from Punjab. The proposal further stated that the section 3 of the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act requires the NEPRA to consist of a chairman and four members, one from each province, and the members are to be appointed by the federal government after considering the recommendations of the respective provincial governments.
The criterion of a member''s appointment is that he must be a reputed professional of known integrity and competence with at least 15 years of related experience in law, business, engineering, finance, accounting, economics or the electric utility business.
The four-year tenure of Khawaja Muhammad Naeem, Member Nepra representing the province of Punjab, expired on 24.4.2016. Subsequently, the government of Punjab was requested to provide panel of suitable nominees for appointment of a member Nepra from the province of Punjab. The government of Punjab has nominated Saifullah Chatha. The Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the federal government on January 19, 2017 to make appointment of the member NEPRA from the province of Punjab within one week.