MoP, oil and gas companies get new bosses

In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday appointed new secretaries of Petroleum and Defence Production ministries along with acting heads of three major oil and gas companies.
The Prime Minister interviewed and selected Ejaz Chaudhry, Secretary Ministry of Petroleum, Naeem Malik Additional Secretary Ministry of Petroleum, Arif Hameed as Acting MD SNGPL, J.A.Shah as Acting MD PSO, Asif Sindhu acting MD Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Aziz Ahmed Bilour, Secretary Ministry of Defence Production.
According to sources, Prime Minister took final decision on Monday in consultation with Advisor to the Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Dr Asim Hussain, to appoint new secretary Petroleum and acting heads of oil and gas companies. Earlier, Ministry of Petroleum had recommended the names of Naveed Zuberi and Ismail Paracha for acting heads of PSO and SNGPL respectively which Prime Minister did not approve. Sources maintained that Ministry of Petroleum had received details about criteria of appointment of heads of oil and gas companies to advertise the posts of state-run oil and gas companies heads within few days. Asif Sindhu has replaced Managing Director (MD) OGDCL Naeem Malik who has been appointed additional secretary Petroleum.
New Petroleum Secretary Ijaz Chaudhry has replaced Imtiaz Qazi who was reportedly made Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Ijaz Chaudhry is a seasoned bureaucrat and has also worked as additional secretary in Ministry of Petroleum and therefore has good understanding of the issues relating to oil and gas sectors.
Meanwhile, according to a statement, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that government has decided to reinvigorate the oil and gas sector to enhance its production for meeting country's growing energy demand. The sole objective of change, he added, is accelerated development of energy sources.
The Prime Minister was talking to Dr Asim Hussain, Abdul Rasheed Lone, the outgoing MD of the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd (SNGPL) and Irfan Qureshi, the outgoing MD of the Pakistan State Oil (PSO) who called on him at Prime Minister's House. Appreciating the services of Rasheed Lone and Irfan Qureshi, the Prime Minister said that they worked under difficult circumstances and performed well. He also wished them success in their future endeavours. They thanked the Prime Minister for his support in discharging their duty.
The Prime Minister urged the new appointees to work with dedication and make every effort to enhance production to overcome the energy shortage which is hampering the growth of economy and creating difficulties in everyday life of common man. The new appointees thanked the Prime Minister for reposing confidence in them and assured him to perform with best of their abilities.