Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
Efforts of the Prime Minister Imran Khan to give relief to masses in the form of availability of cheap energy has allegedly been damaged by National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) by amending agreements with AES Lalpir and PakGen which caused Rs 15 billion loss annual to the national exchequer.
According to sources, around Rs 15 billion per anum heavy loss has been caused to the national exchequer by increasing the minimum load of AES Lalpir and PakGen from 20 percent to 50pc in violation of the regulations by NTDC. They said that due to increase in the minimum load of the two Independent Power Plants IPPs) named as AES Lalpir and PakGen from 20percent to 50 pc, purchase of expansive electricity from these two power plants was made necessary while power production from cheap power plants were stopped. They said after the issuance of such guidelines in violation of procedure, Board of Director of NTDC has approved promotion of General Manger, Muhammad Ayub and made MD, NTDC while the MD, NTDC Khawaja Riffat Hussain, who pointed out these violations, was transferred to Hyderabad. Chairman Board of Directors of NTDC, Naveed Ismail, GM, NTDC, Muhammad Ayub, Joint Secretary Power Division Ahmed Taimor Nasir and official of Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) had played main role in benefitting the two IPPs named as AES Lalpir and PakGen, said sources.
Available dodcuments with NewsLite disclosed that by increasing minimum load of AES Lalpir and PakGen power plants from 20% to 50%, power generation from cheaper power plants of coal, solar, gas and nuclear will be decreased while there will be increase in the power tariff and circular debt.
Sources also said that Naveed Ismail had remained affiliated with AES Lalpir and PakGen Power while Khawaja Riffat Hussain was threatened many times by Joint Secretary, Ahmed Taimor Nasir and Naveed Ismail from removal from the position of D, NTDC because Khawaja Riffat Hussain refused to benefit the contractor and companies in violation of rules and regulations. They said that agreements with AES Lalpir and PakGen Power plants were signed in November 1999 and February 1998 under power Policy of 1994 with approval of ECC. They said on 01-03-2021, unfortunately Muhammad Ayub, the then GM (NPCC) Islamabad and now acting MD NTDC, who was under transfer, on last day of his handing over charge to new incumbent (Ghulam Abbas Memon), with malafide intention and confidentially agree and give consent in written for changing minimum loading of these plants from 20% to 50% without getting approval of its the then MD Engr. Dr. Khawaja Riffat Hassan being policy matter. They said on the basis of consent of Mr. Muhammad Ayub, the management of these power plants succeeded to sign Amendment No. 2 to their PPA for changing the minimum loading from 20% to 50% with CPPA/G on 20-04-2021. However, on 29-04-2021, the new GM (NPCC) Mr. Ghulam Abbas Memon when come to know all these things, he immediately brought all irregularities and loss to the MD Engr. Dr. Khawaja Riffat Hassan, said sources.
As per details, on 17-05-2021, Engr. Dr. Khawaja Riffat Hassan, the then MD NTDC, brought all this matter of irregularities/loss to the public exchequer money done with malafide intention by Mr. Muhammad Ayub to NEPRA, Ministry of energy, BOD NTDC and CPPA/G. Similarly, letter of explanation was also issued to Mr. Muhammad Ayub by Engr. Dr. Khawaja Riffat Hassan the then MD NTDC. And, also informed the chairman BOD accordingly. But unfortunately, instead of taking action against Mr. Muhammad Ayub, who is culprit and cause a loss of Rs.15 billion per annum to public exchequer money, Mr. Naveed Ismail, the Chairman BOD NTDC not only promoted Mr. Muhammad Ayub as a DMD NTDC on 20-05-2021but also mislead ministry of energy to subsequently appoint him as an acting MD NTDC in place of Engr. Dr. Khawaja Riffat Hassan to cover the all irregularities and corruption of Mr. Muhammad Ayub. Furthermore, Abbas Memon GM(NPCC) Islamabad who pointed out the irregularities and corruption of Mr. Ayub vide letter dated 29-04-2021 has also been transferred to WAPDA House and replaced with their puppets Muhammad Masood Ur Rehman Chief Engineer on current charge basis to cover the irregularities and corruption. Engr. Dr. Khawaja Riffat Hassan has also been further transferred from Lahore to Hyderabad as a victimization by BOD NTDC which is against the company’s laws also, said sources.
Managing Director, NTDC, Muhammad Ayub and Chairman, BoD of NTDC, Naveed Ismail did not respond to the repeated efforts made to secure their stance on the said matters relating to amendments in the agreements with Independent Power Plants namely AES Lalpir and PakGen which caused Rs 15 billion loss annual to the national exchequer mainly due to increase in minimum load of two power plants i-e AES Lalpir and PakGen from 20% to 50%.
