ISLAMABAD: The Federal cabinet is likely to approve nomination of ruling PML-N ex-Parliamentarians’ as well as party workers to board of directors of power distribution companies (DISCOs).
Sources said that the Prime Minister in principle has approved to reconstitute BoD of IESCO, FESCO and LESCO and now the matter will be presented in the cabinet meeting schedule on Tuesday for final approval.
Sources said that the re-constitution of BoD of DISCOs is based on political affiliations rather than technical competencies and therefore these DISCOs are acting as white-elephant in national economy and public is bearing high tariff due to departmental in-efficiencies and high distribution losses.
Sources said that the ministry had proposed Engr Qamarul Islam Raja as Chairman/Independent Director of IESCO BoD.
He was PML-N Punjab Assembly member during 2013-2018 from Constituency PP-5 (Rawalpindi-V) and was the main accused in Saaf Pani Scandal but later on, NAB Court had acquitted him.
Similarly, it has also proposed Chaudhary Khalid Munir, Mujahid Pervazi Chatta, Nasir Mahmood Shiekh, Raja Talib Mehdi khan, Fahad Malik, Maj (r) Tahir Iqbal as Independent directors.
Major Rtd Tahir Iqbal was MNA from Chakwal and most of the above -mentioned members are prominent workers of PML-N.
In addition, Malik Ghulam Mustafa Kandwal, Naeem Iqbal and Adnan Envar Baig are consumer representatives as well as independent directors and four members of Ministry of power and IESCO as ex-officio members.
Furthermore, the ministry of power had also proposed Main Waqar Aziz as chairman/independent directors of the LESCO board.
The other directors included Hafiz Muhammad Nouman, Ghais uddin ahmed, Muhammad Ali Sadiq, Jahanzaib Badar, Mujahid Islam billah, M. A Goraya, Ahmad Baksh Tarar.
It is pertinent to note that Muhammad Ali Sadiq is Son of Federal Minister Ayaz sadiq whereas, his another son was also part of LESCO and IESCO BoDs in previous PMLN tenures.
While Arshad Iqbal, Saad Rao and Faisal Khokhar are the consumer representatives in LESCO board.
It is pertinent to note that Hafiz Muhammad Nouman was MPA in 2008 to 2013 and Faisal Khokhar are also prominent worker of PMLN in PP-161.
Sources said that the ministry of power had also proposed Tehseen Alvi as chairman/independent director of the FESCO board. The other independent directors included Babar Ikram, Raja Ameer Hamza, Iftikhar ahmad ansari, Numan Khalid, Muhammad Momin Javaid, Rab Nawaz as independent directors whereas the ministry has also proposed Muhammad Humair Hayat, Ali Ranjha and Main Farraukh iqbal as consumer representative.
It is prominent to mention that Humair Hayat was ex-MNA from Mainwali and Muhammad Momin Javaid is also son of Muhammad Junaid Anwar Ch from NA-112 Toba Tek Singh-II.
The ministry stated that the present BoD of IESCO, FESCO and LESCO were constituted in December, 2020 for a period of three years and Consumer representatives on these BoDs were nominated in May, 2021.
In pursuance of CGR, 2013, a performance contract was also signed between the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) and Boards of Directors of IESCO, FESCO and LESCO however, Minister for Energy (Power Division), after ‘careful assessment’ of the performance of DISCOs (including IESCO, FESCO and LESCO) has felt the need to reconstitute the BoD to bring improvement in their performance.
Accordingly, the Minister for Energy (Power Division) has conducted an extensive consultative exercise to shortlist the suitable candidates who meet the Fit and Proper Criteria and are registered with PICG.
