OGRA officials among candidates in race for Chairman

Aftab Ahmed

Islamabad: A high-powered selection committee under the chair of newly re-designated Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior, Shehzad Akbar along with his five-member team will interview 23 short-listed candidates for the post of chairman OGRA through a video link on Thursday.

Shehzad Akbar, elevated to the post of Advisor to PM from Special Assistant on Interior & Accountability on Wednesday with a status of minister of state, is also wearing a number of hats that includes the head of Assets Recovery Unit and also an unofficial portfolio of tax-related issues as well to fix some opponent of the ruling party.

Oil & Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) is an autonomous body but administrative control of the Cabinet Division and shortlisted 23 candidates for the post of chairman Ogra include some sitting and ex-members of the authority as well as Senior Executive Director (SED) of the oil & gas regulator in the country.

According to sources, Thursday’s interview for the slot of chairman will be dominated by sitting and ex-members of the authority that include two sitting members namely Noor-Ul-Haq and Muhammad Arif, and two sitting SEDs—Shehzad Iqbal and Zainul Aabideen as well as some ex-member oil Abdullah Malik and Ex GM of PSO as well.

Commenting on the shortlisted candidates for the slot of Chairman Ogra, a former chairman Ogra told Newztodays.com that if the shortlisted candidates are dominated by sitting and retired officials of the authority, then it is not good for the consumers. Likewise, of an outgoing chairperson, it will safeguard the interests of the gas utilities and OMCs, he laments.

He went on to say that it is in the best interests of the Authority that a new chairman should come from a private sector to reign the powerful gas monopolies and cartels of OMCs and pass on some relief to the consumers otherwise, it would be “business as usual”.

The PTI government came into power in August 2018 with a mandate to root out corruption and eliminate “Mafias” or Cartels and with the appointment of new chairman Ogra, the PTI has appointed the rest of four regulators including NEPRA, PEMRA, PTA, and CCP.

The selection committee will also interview nine short-listed candidates for the single post of member (Oil), Ogra as well. The interview panel will be headed by Shehzad Akbar, advisor to PM on Interior & Accountability while the others members include cabinet secretary Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera, Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, Muhammad Zubair, and Najam Kamal Haider.