Names of heads for state-run enterprises finalised

ISLAMABAD: The government has finalised the process of appointments of heads of public sector enterprises and statutory bodies which are running without regular chiefs since the PML-N came to power, and has sent the report to Establishment Division, according to Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed, special assistant to the prime minister.
After the Supreme Court’s verdict of abolishing the commission constituted for the appointment of heads of PSE, the government gave free hand to these institutions for choosing a panel of suitable candidates for heading these institutions. The apex court had set the deadline of December 31 for finalising the process and submitting a report in this regard.
Khawaja Zaheer Ahmed, head of the committee constituted by the government for the appointment of heads of public sector enterprises, while talking to The News said that the committee has completed the assigned task.
“The committee finalised its task today (Wednesday) and sent the report to Establishment Division which would further proceed as per the court’s verdict. Out of 53 remaining PSEs only four companies i.e. Pakistan State Oil (PSO), Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) have asked for reviewing their panel of candidates and sought some time which the committee granted,” said Khawaja Zaheer.
The committee comprised former secretary law Barrister Zafrullah Khan, Muhammad Zubair, secretary Establishment Division, secretary Cabinet Division and the secretary of the relevant ministry.
“After reviewing the commission’s work and sensitivity of the matter, the committee in its initial report to the government recommended that all the state-run enterprises which are being run without a regular head should be given free hand to choose a suitable panel of candidates to head them. We have told them to bring the panel of names to the committee and then the committee would decide about the finalists and recommend his name to the prime minister,” he said.
He said there is a minor change in the process of appointment of heads of the state-run enterprises as earlier the ministry used to send three names to the prime minister. However now the departments concerned and ministries would bring these names to the committee and committee would review them after which it would present its recommendations to the prime minister.
When asked about the reason for delay in the appointment process as the government could appoint only five heads of the institutions so far, he said the commission delayed the process as it failed to fulfill its task.
“The commission was fully authorised and was given a free hand but it failed as it could not hold its meetings regularly. Due to the failure of the commission, the government has to face criticism,” he remarked.
He said the committee has made it clear to all these institutions that they could re-advertise the positions if they want to include eligible candidates in the list. However the final decision would be taken by the committee after scrutinising the list of candidates.
Five of 58 state-run enterprises and statutory bodies got their chiefs already, whereas the process of 15 organisations is under process, three departments have been dissolved or devolved while cases of five institutions are pending in the court, he said.
The boards of National Investment Trust (NIT), Oil and Gas Development Corporation Limited (OGDCL), National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Utility Stores Corporation (USC), Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Pakistan Railways (PR), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL), State Life Insurance (SLI), Trading Corporation, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), Privatization Commission (PC), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and all the electricity distribution companies are complete now and are fully authorised to recommend a panel of names for heading these institutions.