A former member of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has warned that appointing a candidate from Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) or Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) as Member (Gas) could violate the OGRA Ordinance, 2002, unless explicitly approved by parliament.
In a letter to OGRA’s Chairman, Mansoor Muzaffar Ali cited Section 5(2) of the Ordinance, which bars individuals with direct or indirect financial interests, or ties creating a potential conflict of interest, from regulatory roles. Ali stressed that candidates from the two state-owned gas utilities, both regulated by OGRA, fall under this restriction.
Three candidates are reportedly under consideration for the vacant post, one of which, Kabeer Ahmed, is a Senior General Manager (Transmission) at SNGPL. Apart from him Saleem Ullah,  former General Manager (Production), Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), and Shehzad Iqbal, ex-Senior Executive Director (Gas) at OGRA are also in the run for the position. The seat has been vacant since November 2022, delaying critical regulatory decisions, especially around gas distribution.
The Member (Gas) oversees transmission, pricing, and distribution, areas dominated by SSGCL and SNGPL. Critics warn that appointing insiders could undermine OGRA’s neutrality, invite legal challenges, and erode public confidence in the authority’s independence.
OGRA, established under the 2002 Ordinance, regulates Pakistan’s oil and gas sector, including pricing, licensing, and service standards, affecting millions of consumers and the finances of state-owned utilities. With rising gas demand, shrinking reserves, LNG import challenges, and circular debt pressures, maintaining regulatory independence is seen as essential.
Ali’s warning reinforces the need for parliamentary oversight, noting that approval would strengthen legitimacy and protect OGRA from allegations of bias, while bypassing it could raise concerns about governance and transparency. Analysts say the appointment will set a precedent for balancing technical expertise with impartial oversight in Pakistan’s energy sector.
