ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has sidelined Syed Shahzad Qasim as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Power with immediate effect for seemingly intruding in the administrative affairs of the Power Division, the sources said.
According to a tweet of Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan "PM has asked SAPM Shahzad Qasim to refocus on the Minerals and Mining sector to ensure production of copper from Chagai by 2023 and resolve Rekodiq issue".
In Oct 2018, he was appointed as SAPM for restructuring the public power sector, consisting of entities in generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. Subsequently in July 2020, he was tasked with development and marketing of mining and minerals in the country.
Well informed sources told Business Recorder that the outgoing SAPM was increasingly involved in petty issues of the ministry and power distribution companies (Discos).
Earlier, on Sep 14, Secretary Power Division Omar Rasul was removed who was not ready to continue his work.
The sources maintained, a couple of weeks ago former secretary Power Division left the ministry in the middle of a pre-Public Accounts Committee meeting, and did not return back to the ministry.
Omar Rasul had submitted in writing to the Establishment Division that he cannot continue to work in the present circumstances.
Former secretary Irfan Ali who was made OSD due to 'unexplained' reasons is still being denied posting with his retirement due in the next 7 or 8 months.
His summaries for posting are being repeatedly rejected, sources said.
When contacted, an official of the Power Division confirmed that he has been removed but he was not aware of reasons of his ouster.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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