Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has declined to appoint Dr Musadik Malik as permanent chairman Pakistan State Oil’s (PSO) board, while a summary seeking appointment of secretary petroleum Arshad Mirza as chairman PARCO board has been forwarded to the premier for final approval.
Informed sources disclosed to Pakistan Today that ministry of petroleum and natural resources had forwarded a summary to the prime minister, seeking appointment of Dr Musadik Malik as chairman of PSO’s Board of Management. However, premier has now refused to appoint Musadik Malik as chairman.
It is important to mention that PSO’s board had been functioning without full time chairman and four private members from last one year. And, apparently to avoid violation of rules and procedures, the government had appointed Dr Musadik Malik as chairman of the board on temporary basis only to attend its meeting.
Sources said that the government did not appoint four private members for one year only to avoid hurdles in the deal of Liquefied Natural Gas. They said prime minister has now sought four names for the vacant slots of private members of the board of management (BoM) of PSO.
The sources further informed that petroleum ministry has dispatched a summary to the PM office, seeking final approval for the appointment of secretary petroleum Arshad Mirza as chairman Pak-Arab Refinery (PARCO). They said the government wanted increased influence in the PARCO.
Sources said that the government had secured the appointment of secretaries of ministries in the public listed company following the approval of Companies Ordinance, 2016. They added that a secretary of a ministry could be appointed as chairman board of public listed companies.