Fate of acting MD, DMD of Sui Northern in doldrums: PM office rejects three shortlisted candidates vying for slot of regular MD

By Khalid Mustafa
February 19, 2020

ISLAMABAD: The fate of acting managing director of Sui Northern and deputy managing director (DMD) has landed in the danger zone who were in the race for the slot of regular MD as the Prime Minister's Office has rejected their names with serious charge sheet, a senior official at the Sui Northern told The News. "In the wake of serious observations, the said two employees of the Sui Northern may face the inquiry. And in the meanwhile they may become OSD (official on special duty). "So much so, the PM's Office also came up with serious remarks on the candidature of AJ Hamdani, the third candidate shortlisted also vying for the slot of managing director."

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The board of directors of Sui Northern, the official said, had shortlisted three names that include Amer Tufail, acting Managing Director of Sui Northern, and Gulzar Sohail, Deputy Managing Director of Sui Northern, and AJ Hamdani for the slot of regular MD, which the Petroleum Division has forwarded to Prime Minister's Office for consideration of one name among the three for managing director of the gas utility. But the PM Office's has not only sent back the names of all the three candidates but with serious charge sheet in its observations.

The official said that the PM's Office with the input of agencies in its communication to the Petroleum Division has come up with serious observations mentioning that Amer Tufail, acting MD of Sui Northern, is involved in nepotism and Gulzar Sohail, DMD of Sui Northern, is not financially clean person and has also dual nationality. "And AJ Hamdani, the third candidate, is also facing NAB," says the communication from the PM's Office.

"Yes, we have received the PM's Office letter with serious observations about the shortlisted candidates’ list and will soon send official communication to Board of Directors (BoD) of Sui Northern in the light of letter of PM's Office, asking for the future course of action either to select another three names from the already 15-20 shortlisted candidates by BoD for the slot of regular managing director or re-initiate the process for hiring MD, starting from giving advertisement to shortlisting of three candidates," Spokesman of Petroleum Division, Additional Secretary (P) Ayub Chaudhary, while confirming the development, said.

However, Ayub Chaudhary said the main issue will be the inquiry that BoD will be suggested to initiate against the candidates who are also employees of Sui Northern for the charges of nepotism, corruption and dual nationality mentioned in the PM Office's letter.

The government has also far managed to appoint the regular managing directors of OGDCL (Oil and Gas Development Company Limited) and PSO (Pakistan State Oil). The process of appointing managing director of GHPL and Sui Southern is also nearing completion.

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