Alleged tampering with DoB docs: Suspended chief engineer fired by PESCO

ISLAMABAD: The Board of Directors (BoD) of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) has dismissed the suspended Chief Engineer Tahir Moeen from service for allegedly tampering with his date of birth documents.

According to official documents, Tahir Moeen was served with a charge sheet under Rule 6 of the Pakistan WAPDA Employees E&D Rules-1978 of July 24, 2025.

Accordingly, a Special Inquiry Committee under Rule 13 of the Pakistan WAPDA E&D Rules- 1978 was constituted to investigate the charge sheet vide office order of August 25, 2025, further modified vide office order on September 11, 2025.

The officer was called before the inquiry committee on August 26, 2025, to defend the charges leveled against him and as an opportunity to be cross-examined, vide Manager Confidential letters sent to him on August 21 and August 22, 2025, but he refused to receive the notices and did not appear before the inquiry committee.

The officer was again provided with an opportunity to defend himself and appear before the inquiry committee through a letter sent to him on September 15, 2025, which was further endorsed by Manager (confidential) PESCO, but he again refused to receive the notices and did not appear before the probe panel.

The inquiry committee conducted an inquiry and furnished a report on September 23, 2025, whereby it concluded that the charges were established in light of evidence.

The officer was served with a Show Cause Notice along with a copy of the inquiry report on September 24, 2025. He refused to receive the notice and did not appear before the committee.

The accused officer submitted his defence reply on September 29, 2025, to the show cause notice. He did not request to be heard in person.

According to PESCO, his defence reply is devoid of merit, evasive, and a blatant attempt to cloud the truth. It fails to disprove the overwhelming evidence of his dishonesty.

The inquiry report, as well as the Power Division’s letter of September 22, 2025, has conclusively established that: (i) the accused officer’s date of birth as per his record at the time of joining Wapda, is

June 13, 1964; (ii) the accused officer has failed to provide any certifiable evidence, which proves that he complied with the legal and departmental processes for amending/changing date of birth; and (iii) he willingly and deliberately tampered with the official record for personal, financial, and professional gains.

According to the order, in exercise of the powers conferred under Pakistan WAPDA Employees (E&D) Rules-1978 adopted by PESCO Board of Directors, and in consideration of the defence reply of the official and conclusive facts on record, the Chairperson HR & Legal Committee, PESCO Board duly authorized by Board of Directors, in its Resolution passed in 176th Board of Directors meeting, in the capacity as competent authority has decided to impose major penalty of “dismissal from service from June 13, 2024 upon Tahir Moeen S/o MocenUllah, Chief Engineer.

Meanwhile, PESCO has filed a written complaint with Police Station Faqirabad against Tahir Moeen regarding serious threats to the Manager (Legal &Labour).

As per the complaint, the said officer extended grave threats to Muhammad Shakeel, Manager (Legal & Labour) PESCO, on September25, 2025, at around 01:30p.m. in front of Court Room No. 14, ADJ Peshawar, while he was performing his official duty in the matter titled PESCO Vs. Tahir Moeen. The threats were aimed at obstructing the officer from performing his lawful official duties, thereby creating an environment of fear, insecurity, and disruption of official work.

SHO Faqirabad Police Station has been requested to register an FIR against Tahir Moeen S/o MoeenUllah, under the relevant provisions of law and take necessary legal action accordingly.

Earlier, Saima Akbar Khattak, Director of PESCO, TESCO, and HAZECO, in a letter to the Finance Minister, had informed that PESCO’s senior-most employee Tahir Moeen, was found to have falsified official records that he submitted along with his application for the CEO-TESCO post. Tahir Moeen changed his date of birth from 1964 to 1966, and instead of retiring in 2024, he continues to serve at a C-level position in PESCO. The relevant Wapda Rules, 1994, state the following regarding date of birth of employees: (a) initial entry record is final: The date of birth entered at the time of first appointment (ie, in the service book) is considered final and binding; (b) any discrepancy arising later (eg, with CNIC or academic records) does not override the official service book record; (c) no alteration in date of birth is allowed after Two years of appointment, unless there is a court order. No court order has been presented by Tahir Moeen thus far; (d) proof required for date of birth at entry: At the time of joining service, the date of birth is recorded based on SSC/Matriculation certificate issued by a recognized Board. Moeen’s Matric certificate clearly states it has been “revised” to change the date of birth subsequently; (e) CNIC issued afterward cannot be used to alter or override the recorded date of birth.

According to her, conclusive evidence of Tahir Moeen’s record tampering was presented to both TESCO and PESCO boards. Multiple complaints of abuse of authority have been received against Tahir Moeen, with credible evidence, yet, with the Chairman’s backing, he continues to serve in a senior position.

The Finance Minister had sent the letter of Saima Akbar Khattak to the Power Division for further action in the matter.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025