Khattak delegates his powers to QWP lawmaker

Mismanagement in TEVTA

PESHAWAR: The issue of mismanagement in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Technical Education and Vocational Training Agency (TEVTA) has taken an unsightly turn after the chief minister delegated his powers as its chairman to a lawmaker of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) in violation of TEVTA Act 2015.

The issue of mismanagement in TEVTA surfaced after former director general Tahir Orakzai sent a report to the chief secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on January 7, pointing out lacunae in the appointments of vice-chairman and other functionaries.

The TEVTA was established on April 17, 2014 as result of an act of the provincial assembly to meet the skill development needs of the province.

It is a corporate body having a board of directors to be guided by such direction as government may from time to time give and would be accountable to the government for its performance. The government through a proper notification constitutes the board of directors, which consists of a chairperson, a vice chairperson and such other members.

Subject to sub-section (5) of the Act, the service matters of TEVTA employees recruited under TEVTA Act and the administration, management and general control of the TEVTA and its affairs vest in the board of directors.

The chief minister is the chairperson of the board while the vice chairperson under the Act is supposed to be appointed by the government from the private sector having a graduate degree from a recognised university in the field of engineering or technology, having 20 years active industrial management experience and may not be less than 45 years and not more than 65 years of age.

The provincial government first appointed the PTI Senator and known industrialist Nauman Wazir as its vice chairman on June 5, 2015, apparently in contravention of the criteria laid down in the TEVTA Act.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who under the TEVETA Act is the chairman of the Authority, surrendered his own powers and delegated these to QWP MPA Arshad Umarzai through a simple letter on January 13, an official source told The News.

These, among some other issues, forced the director general to write to the chief minister, informing him of the steps taken by the government while appointing vice chairman and other personnel in the TEVTA apparently in violation of law.

The matter, however, led to the transfer of director general on January 29. He was posted as director of the Provincial Public Safety and Police Complaint Commission.

Senator Nauman Wazir, who resigned as the vice chairman TEVTA when the matter was played up in a section of the media, refused to comment on the matter when contacted.

However, he said that he is an engineer by profession and always offered his services to support nation building efforts.

The chairman of the human resource committee of the TEVTA board, Riaz Arshad, was approached on his mobile and home phone numbers to seek his comment on the appointments and delegation of powers by the chief minister, but he did not respond.