SNGPL is without a permanent MD for the most part under the present government. The organization is being run on Acting charge basis while this position has literally become a revolving chair. This has left to lack of effective management controls owing to continuous external intervention which is badly affecting the performance of this leading public sector utility. The recruitment process has been completed twice but shelved at the last minute to favor the ethnic pathan mafia within the organization. Those directors in the BOD who are not aligned with this mafia are also being threatened and efforts are being made to remove them from the BOD by certain faction in the Petroleum Division who are receiving on instructions received directly from the PM Secretariat.
Lately again the process of appointment of MD has been recklessly stopped by the PM secretariat wherein Mr. Amer Tufail Acting MD, Mr. Sohail Gulzar DMD SNGPL and Mr. Ali Javed Hamdani, former Siemens top executive have been rejected on frivolous grounds with no backup or documentary support. It has been said that Mr. Tufail has carried out nepotism while other supposedly have unsound financial integrity and summary was returned with no backup support.
It must be noted that only the BOD of the Company can carry out any disciplinary proceedings while MD and DMD are exclusively appointed by the BOD. The BOD in its meeting of April 11, 2020 had decided that there was no evidence was forwarded by the Petroleum Division on behest of PM Secretariat against MD or DMD and hence the matter cannot be investigated further. The BOD had decided that the scope of enquiry has to be kept restricted to the observations raised by the PM office only which were raised while again rejecting the summary or appointment almost 3 months ago. These observations were communicated to SNGPL on March 19, 2020. The BOD did make a fact finding committee to prepare a report on the allegations which specifically comprised of three members namely Mr. Ayub Chaudhury AS Petroleum, Mr. Ahmad Aqeel and Mr. Manzur Ahmed. The TORs of the Fact Finding Committee was to look into material available with the Ministry regarding lowdown of MD and DMD.
It is highlighted that the Fact Finding committee has not issued any charge sheet against Mr Amer Tufail or Sohail Gulzar DMD of SNGPL. Instead a letter was issued by one of the Directors Mr. Sajid Qazi requiring certain information about previous inquiries and or data as old as 10 years having no direct reference to the matter raised by the PM Secretariat. This letter was sent on a much belated date of April 17 2020 which was received on April 20 at SNGPL offices. This can be construed as an attempt to come up with revised set of charges to fill the vacuum since no documentary evidence of any of the charges earlier leveled are available. It can be easily inferred that no wrong doing took place in the first instance. This is also an attempt to marginalize the independent operation of the board and is against the letter and spirit of corporate governance rules. This is also a violation of the fiduciary duty of such director.
It is worth mentioning that SNGPL remains without a permanent MD for over a year now while Acting MD are being appointed almost on a rotational basis. The recruitment process has been completed twice but shelved at the last minute which is severely hindering the working of the Company. Board of SNGPL is committed to ensure more transparency in the company for which various reforms have been initiated which are being actively implemented by the Acting MD. It is SNGPLs considered view that the Acting MD SNGPL enjoys enjoy full support of BOD and the present malafide campaign is simply an attempt to sabotage the process of reforms initiated by the board and its committees and being carried by the acting MD.
There has been continuous interference from the top echelons to appoint an ethnic as MD who is known corrupt and has no relevant qualifications. He is a PTI stalwart while his brothers have participated a number of times in provincial elections from the PTI. He has arranged tremendous political influence in trying to oust all other senior candidates so that he can become the MD of this esteemed company.
In the ongoing recruitment mechanism of MD, this pathan candidate was once again not shortlisted by the BOD since he devoid relevant experience and merit. Subsequently he arranged tremendous political pressure and a special interview was conducted by none else than the Minister Energy, SAPM Petroleum and Secretary Petroleum so that the propaganda that the BOD has not made recommendations on merit could be addressed. This high level committee also felt that the candidate doesn’t meet the requirements and instead the recommendations made by the BOD was sent to PM secretariat for approval with Mr. Amer Tufail as top candidate and Mr. Sohail Gulzar DMD(OPS) SNGPL and one more external candidate as other options but all of them were rejected.
In another development OGRA has asked SNGPL to make an inquiry into different irregularities and allegations of corruption against this Pathan candidate. This inquiry is in process. It is highlighted that the Acting MD SNGPL enjoys full support of Secretary Petroleum Division, SAPM (Petroleum) and Minister for Energy. But a certain faction within the Petroleum Division has now embarked on the unilateral campaign of removing the Acting MD and DMD from their positions and ground is being made ready for appointment of the pathan candidate as Managing Director of SNGPL.
