Govt finally appoints Arif as Member Gas OGRA

Aftab Ahmed

The PTI government has finally appointed Muhammad Arif as Member Gas Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) after three years.

Muhammad Arif has worked in Mari Petroleum Company Limited.

The post of member gas fell vacant on December 22, 2016, on completion of the tenure of the former member. The post of member gas had been advertised four times and the PTI government has made an appointment amid court proceedings in Islamabad High Court. Therefore, the appointment has been made subject to the final outcome of the court case in the matter.

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Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) was established under OGRA Ordinance 2002. The authority comprises a chairman and three members i.e Member (Oil), Member (Gas), and Member (finance) who are appointed by the federal government on a tenure basis. Members are also appointed in a median of MP-1 scale along with perks and privileges.

Sources told Newztodays.com that the post of member gas fell vacant on December 22, 2016, on completion of the tenure of the former member. It had been advertised four times.

It was advertised last time on February 10, 2019, offering a package of MP-1 scale. In response, 22 candidates applied for the position of member gas. The selection committee was formed on March 28, 2019, which considered 22 applications and shortlisted 12 candidates in its meeting held on June 23, 2019.

The selection committee interviewed 12 shortlisted candidates on July 12, 2019, and recommended three candidates in order of merit for the appointment of one of them as a member of Gas, OGRA. These candidates included Muhammad Arif, Syed Mehmood Jeelani, and Javed Iqbal Jadoon.

In order to ensure that the selected candidate is a person of known integrity, clearance reports with reference to any pending inquiry against them were sought from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and the employer Mari Petroleum Company Limited for the serving candidate which had been received.

The advertisement issued on February 10, 2019, was also challenged in Islamabad High court. The court in its order on June 24, 2019, had allowed that the process of appointment may be continued but the same shall be subject to the final outcome of the writ petition.

The court in its order on October 22, 2019, the court had clarified that the order issued on June 24, 2019, shows that there is no adverse thing against the appointment of Member Gas OGRA.

Out of the three candidates, the government had appointed Muhammad Arif who stood at top of the candidates in line with merit. The appointment was made subject to the final outcome of the court order.