ISLAMABAD: The Federal Government reportedly appointed Naveed Ismail as Member Board of Directors (BoD) of Karachi Electric (KE) to “detect, dig out illegitimate financial gains” purportedly made by the company and his efforts have been very successful.
This was the crux of between the lines remarks of a senior official of Power Division at a meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Power, headed by Senator, Saif Ullah Abro.
Ismail, who was appointed Chairman BoD of National Transmission of Despatch Company (NTDC) in January this year, had been sacked as CEO of Genco Holding Company (GHCL) in 2013 due to “poor performance”. However, when Power Division sent a summary to the Cabinet for his appointment as Chairman NTDC Board, this aspect was not brought to the notice of Federal Cabinet.
During discussion on appointment of Naveed Ismail as Member KE Board, Chairman Standing Committee raised questions about conflict of interest in this case. Power Division’s Additional Secretary-1, Musaddiq Ahmed Khan informed the Committee, that as the share of Federal Government in KE is about 26 percent, three officials represent Federal Government at the Board. Presently, Sajid Qazi, senior Joint Secretary Finance, Waseem Mukhtar Additional Secretary-II and Naveed Ismail are representing Federal Government.
Giving rationale for Ismail’s appointment as Member KE Board, Musaddiq Ahmed Khan revealed that the former has noted some KE data which is ‘suspicious’ and would be beneficial for the federal government in monetary terms.
“Ismail is on the KE Board for the last two months as representative of Federal Government. He is witnessing information of sensitive nature for the first time related to liabilities and payments, which is now under dispute between the power utility and GoP. We can share that sensitive information with the Committee in-camera. The information will be financially beneficial for the GoP with respect to figures of liabilities and payments,” said, Khan.
Ismail is a former Chairman of erstwhile KESC and very close to former SAPM on Power and Petroleum Tabish Gauhar. When Chairman Standing Committee enquired why KE’s representatives do not attend Committee meetings when 26 percent shares in the utility are of Federal Government, the newly appointed Secretary Power Division said KE is bound to attend Standing Committee on the direction of the Committee.
Chairman Standing Committee said that PPA with KE expired in 2015 but nothing has been done on this issue so far. Power Division assured him that new pact with power utility will be done soon.
Uproar was also witnessed in the meeting when senators belonging to ANP Haji Hidayatuallah Khan and Senator Prince Ahmed Umar Ahmed Zai protested at the usual absence of Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar and CEO Pesco from the meeting.
Chairman Standing Committee sarcastically remarked that the Minister is in search of gas which has gone “missing”. He expressed his inability to summon Minister for Energy but added that public representatives were facing abuses from masses when they visit their areas, which was the price paid for the failure of the Ministry of Energy to deliver energy.
Later on ANP Senator boycotted the meeting. The Committee also censured Ministry of Energy on inflated bills. Members shared copies of electricity bills and stated that when rich people were unable to pay their bills, how the common man can pay.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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