Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
Petroleum Division’s former secretaries have allegedly misused their authority for petty interests which are costing heavily to the State Owned Entities (SOEs) and the country as well.
The petroleum division is usually headed by a federal secretary and division deals with the oil and gas industry of the country while the oil and gas business run in trillion of Pak rupees. So far, heads of petroleum division have allegedly misused their powers by ensuring own petty interests, minted money through corruption, ensured appointments of blue eyed in petroleum division’s subsidiary organizations besides securing contracts for favourite E&P companies.
According to sources, former Secretary Petroleum Mian Asad Hayaudin had also kept different vehicles of various subsidiary organization/companies of petroleum division including PARCO, HDIP, OGDCL, in personal use. For example, he obtained Land Cruiser from OGDCL, and TOYOTA Altis from PARCO. He also got appointment of his relatives/close ones in various organizations on lucrative packages. e.g He ensured appointment of his various relatives/blue eyed named as Shahbaz, Sher Afgan etc in PARCO and PPGL on hefty packages. Similarly, PARCO’s Protocol Officer in Karachi Rizwan had given precious gifts to the family of ex-Secretary Petroleum while he also ensured shopping for the family of the former Secretary Petroleum. Furthermore, ex-secretary petroleum Mian Asad Hayaudin during last year had ordered to send back all employees of various companies and refineries to their parent organizations/companies. And, some officials of various state owned entities (SOEs) were repatriated to their parent SOEs but very few are still engaged with petroleum division to protect the interest of their parent organizations/companies.
As per details, ex-Secretary Petroleum got the appointment of his nephew, Shahbaz, in PARCO while being PARCO chairman.
It is relevant to note that former Secretary Petroleum was also Chairman of a PARCO’s subsidiary company PAPCO the PAPCO project was completed in 2019 but it is still waiting for its inaugural and has been causing approximately Million of rupees losses per day.
Likewise, former Secretary Petroleum Arshad Mirza allegedly got the illegal appointment of his nephew Adnan Mazhar Mughal in PARCO at Rs 7 lakh per month salary package while Adnan Mazhar Mughal received three promotions while setting aside the principle of merit.
Various persons of different companies and refineries are currently engaged in the petroleum division on deputation basis and these persons are allegedly involve in sharing all the secrecy of the division with their parent companies/refineries while name of all these person can be presented on demand.
Sources clsoe to Dr Arshad Mahmood, Secretary Petroleum, said several stories related to alleged misuse of authority, nepotism etc by former heads of petroelum divsion are circulating and they are in the notice of newly head of teh petroelum division. They said that the new haed of petroelum division will take solid action against the alleged misu se of authority after a throigh inquiry on the matter .At present, facts are being verified, scrutiny of documents and records pertain to misue of authority, nepotism underway. They said the new Secretary Petroleum is detrmined and confident that misuse of authority, nepotism,corruption etc. will end under the leadership of Dr Arshad Mahmood. And, the government should take solid measures to uproot misue of authority, nepotism, corruption etc of the babus, said sources.
Petroleum & Natural Resources Division was created in April 1977. Prior to that Petroleum and Natural Resources was part of the Ministry of Fuel, Power and Natural Resources.
To perform its functions, the Petroleum & Natural Resources Division has been organized into four wings i.e. Administration, Development, Mineral and Policy. The Ministry has one Attached Department, one Autonomous Body and 11 companies. The Secretary is assisted by two Additional Secretaries, two Joint Secretaries, and five Directors Generals. And, the mission of petroleum division is to ensure availability and security of sustainable supply of oil and gas for economic development and strategic requirements of Pakistan and to coordinate development of natural resources of energy and minerals.
Petroleum Division is consisted of Corporate Affairs and Administration Wing, International Joint Venture Wing, Mineral Wing, Policy Wing and the Policy Wing is comprised of Directorate General of Petroleum Concession, Directorate General of Oil, Directorate General of Gas and Directorate General of (LGs).
Each Directorate is headed by a Director General. The Policy Wing is responsible for developing policies for oil and gas sector forecasting future requirement and assessing the impact of existing policies, rules and regulations.
Petroleum Division also engaged with its subsidiary organizations/companies comprising Geological Survey of Pakistan, Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP),Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL), Sui Northern Gas Company Limited (SNGPL), Pakistan State Oil Company Limited, Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL),Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL), Pak-Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO), Inter State Gas System (Pvt) Limited, Government Holding private Limited, Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation Limited, Lakhra Coal Development Company Limited, and Saindak Metals Limited.
