Khawaja Asif sacks Iesco CEO over illegal recruitments

BoD also held responsible for failing to perform duty of supervision and due diligence

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif sacked Chief Executive Officer of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) Yousaf Awan after an inquiry proved that he had illegally recruited 87 officers in the company.

According to documents, the report was submitted to the minister indicting Mr. Awan and others while secretary water and power recommended Awan’s removal. He was removed on December 9.

The minister was told that the inquiry ‘clearly established without an iota of doubt or contradiction that the recruitment process undertaken in the Iesco during 2014-15 (87 posts in total) was dubious, fabricated and illegal.

The whole process, based on facts established by the inquiry committee, consisted of gross irregularities, nepotism and favoritism and was in sheer violation of services’ rules and advertised criteria.’

The Iesco board of directors has also been held responsible for failing to perform its duty of supervision and due diligence.According to the report, “The BOD in its 126th meeting validly observed to make future enquiries regarding verifying the ‘credentials’ of the short listed firm “Resource Access Pvt Ltd”. Hence it sought further information to this end.

However, it is shocking to note that in the very next BOD meeting (127th), the BOD made a U-turn and instead of satisfying its concern earlier shown became a party with the Iesco management by observing that it had no intention of getting into details of recruitment process.

The BOD thus left the entire recruitment process at the sole mercy of the Iesco management, thus miserably failing in its statutory duty of supervising and monitoring the implementation of the whole recruitment process.’ The inquiry suggested that the summary for the removal of Iesco BOD may kindly be moved to the competent authority. Further action to fix responsibility can also be taken by a competent forum NAB or FIA”, it said.

The report concluded that the hiring of testing firm was in clear violation of PPRA rules and the test conducted was totally mismanaged and the results were manipulated in connivance with the “Iesco management”.

“Out of this conclusion, the final recommendation necessitates that all appointments carried out by the Iesco through M/s Resource Access Pvt Ltd be declared null and void/ab initio. The entire recruitment process be carried out all over again in a transparent and lawful manner.”

Referring to the case of M/s Resource Access for recovery of funds collected from 24,730 applicants, the minister had been asked to direct the competent forum to send the case to the NAB or FIA.

Regarding the CEO, the inquiry committee recommended that Mr. Awan be immediately retired from service. The competent authority may initiate an inquiry through the FIA to fix criminal charges.

The committee said one officer on deputation had already been repatriated to his parent department and he must be proceeded against by his own department.“All these Iesco officers and officials may be immediately proceeded against and charge sheeted on the basis of incriminating evidence presented specifically in this inquiry report”, the report concluded.