Rana Tassaddiq Hussain
Islamabad
Sardar Abdul Hayee Khan Dasti, Advisor to the Chief Minister (Punjab) in his memo “on energy crisis in Pakistan” has expressed a resolve to expose the true facts before the nation as well as the incumbent federation in taking prompt measures to save Pakistan from further losses viz the energy sector.
He held that prior installation and commissioning all four power plants by IPPs, the vital role of power plants under the public sector was to generate electricity for nation by hectic efforts of engineers and well experienced technical staff for more than 50 long years. Prior being devolved all plants as four companies individually named as GENCOS, all plants under Public Sector were working under the control of PEPCO and Head Office was Wapda House, Lahore headed by Member Power.
In accordance with earlier practice all engineers of plants used to be deployed as General Manager (Thermal) on seniority cum merit basis having minimum experience of thermal power stations. But ever since restructuring of power plants was effectuated and placed under the direct control of Energy Division; the complete technical and administrative structure of GENCOS nosedived.
General Manager (Thermal), has to be an engineer and needs to have about 25 to 30 years experience of plant (operation and management) before appointed, promoted against the said post.
In Pakistan there is an example that any medical complex could be headed by an Engineer. But he was astonished to see an account fellow being placed as head of an engineering organizations having mega complex of power plants with different technologies.
It is really unfortunate to witness technical assets being controlled by a non-technical bureaucrat. As a consequence lack of know of the incumbent and due to such extraneous placements GENCOS have already sustained losses in trillion of rupees, adding that Muhammad Imran currently posted as Chief Executive Officer, Generation Holding Company Limited (GHCL) at Islamabad and working since five long years as Agent between all four (04) Power Generation Companies (GENCOS) and Energy (Power Division) possesses a degree and certification in accounts by virtue of which was he was initially appointed as Finance Director on contractual basis in GENCO-II TPS Guddu. The said incumbent happens to be from a non-technical and non-engineering cadre. His subsequent placement against engineering position is illegal and unlawful being a non-engineering professional.
In a similar fashion Masood Ahmed, Finance Director GENCO III was posted directly from BPS-18 to BPS-20. Despite of allegedly being involved in theft furnace oil, outsourcing of Nadipur power station and other severe issues highlighted in the media under probe by NAB & FIA. However brushing everything aside is comfortably on the said post with confidence of Muhammad Imran, Chief Executive Officer, Generation Holding Company Limited (GHCL).
The Chief Minister’s Advisor while slamming the Energy (Power Division) for failing to initiate timely action against those suspected of committing irregularities, noted that Energy Division has wasted a long time in filing charge sheet and initiating action against the accused even in cases where punitive action had been advised. He recommends action against all those involved in alleged cases of corruption and mismanagement as spelled out in NEPRA State of Industrial Report 18, External Audit Report in respect of FY-2017-2018 and placements made contrary to Supreme Court of Pakistan’s explicit directions and advisory note by the Chairman of Pakistan Engineering Council, he concluded.
