OGDC management fails to justify appointment of top officials

ISLAMABAD: The top management of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDC), including board members, has failed to satisfy the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding the appointment of top officials, Pakistan Today has learnt.

Sources privy to the development disclosed that the top management of OGDC has failed to satisfy the bureau regarding the appointment of executive director (Petroserv) and executive director (Human Resources).

They said the OGDC management could not answer the questions raised by NAB Rawalpindi regarding certain changes in the qualification criterion for the appointment of the said top officials.

According to sources, OGDC Board Chairman Qamar Javed was allegedly involved in the appointment of two EDs, who previously worked with a foreign company that provided services to OGDC.

They alleged that the incumbent ED (Petroserv) was initially found not qualified as per the advertisement issued in February 2019 owing to lack of experience. However, to accommodate the “favourite” candidate, another advertisement was issued in June 2019 for the said position.

The ED (Petroserv) had only worked with service providing companies and had never worked with exploration and production companies. Ironically, three general managers, despite having relevant experience, have been working under the ED (Petroserv).

Sources said the influence of a service providing company is increasing in OGDC as the incumbent ED had worked with the said company while a shortlisted candidate for the top post of managing director had also worked with that same company.

Similarly, the appointment of present ED (HR) was also against the criterion and concerned rules, said sources.

It is pertinent to mention that NAB Rawalpindi has been conducting investigation against the OGDC management regarding “illegal appointments at executive management level”. In this regard, the bureau had asked the company secretary to arrange meetings with OGDC Human Resources and Nominations Committee (HRNC) members, including OGDC Managing Director Dr Naseem Akhtar and HR Executive Director Muhammad Shoaib Baig.

An OGDC spokesman, when contacted, confirmed that the company’s MD appeared before NAB and responded to questions raised by the bureau.