The government was shaken on Wednesday when two top officials, acting chairman of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) Sabir Hussain and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Vice Chairman Maqbool Khawaja resigned from their offices.
An official source said the acting OGRA chairman submitted his resignation to the Cabinet Division secretary citing differences with senior officials in curbing illegal and corrupt practices in the regulatory body, while the NEPRA vice chairman resigned over differences with the government of Sindh on energy issues. The prime minister will decide on both resignations. Sabir Hussain was trying to conduct an enquiry against malpractices in OGRA, especially the illegal grant of licences to 500 CNG station owners despite a ban on issuance of new licences slapped during the tenure of former chairman Tauqeer Sadiq. However, senior OGRA officials were hampering his efforts, the source added. Hussain has resigned from his acting charge, but would continue working as a member (oil) OGRA.
Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain had said on record several times that his efforts to streamline the energy sector were being thwarted by OGRA. He recently told reporters that the policy directives of the ministry were being tampered by the middle cadre officials of OGRA. An official source said NEPRA vice chairman and Member Sindh Maqbool Khawaja resigned from his post under the Sindh government’s pressure. The provincial government had reservations over Khawaja’s dissenting notes on several issues, particularly regarding the rental power plants.
