KPT may have a female civilian chief after 18 years

The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) is likely to have a civilian chief executive, most probably a woman, after the 18 years, Business Recorder learnt on Friday. According to sources, the Karachi Port operator had no civilian chairman at the helm, since 1990 till now.
The last KPT chief without-uniform was General Manager Administration Aleem Akhtar Shah, who had taken over the top office after the sudden demise (heart attack) of Aftab Alam, General Manager, Planning and Development in 1989. Before that, M Ishaq Arshad, Alam's predecessor, had headed KPT for at least eight years during the rule of General Zia-ul-Haq, sources added.
From 1990 onward, the Trust witnessed five chairmen consecutively from Pakistan Navy, including Admiral S R Hussain, Admiral Ahmed Tasneem, Admiral Akbar H. Khan (Retd), Vice Admiral Khalid Mir and the current Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat Khan HI (M), source said. According to sources, Hayat will be retiring by May 31, 2008 or till further orders from the Establishment Division.
After his retirement three names, two from civil institutions and one from the armed forces, were under consideration for the KPT chairman's slot, sources added. They said the potential civilian candidates included Pakistan People's Party leader Mirza Ikhtiyar Baig, who is also an industrialist and former Chairman of Site Association and Nasrin Haq (or Shams), Managing Director, Karachi Mass Transit Programme. Nasrin is a Grade-20 officer, sources added.
Another source, however, said Nasrin was a former divisional superintendent in Pakistan Railways and currently working as chief executive operation supervisor in its headquarters in Islamabad. From the armed forces, sources said Admiral (Retd) Haroon was likely to replace the outgoing KPT Chairman Ahmed Hayat.
They, however, said Baig had said "No" to the KPT chairmanship and was now likely to be appointed as Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Chairman," sources said. After withdrawal of Baig only two candidates, Nasrin and Haroon were in fray for this slot. "Chances are more that Nasrin will become the KPT chairman," sources claimed.
They said chances were "dim" for the retired admiral, as a civilian government led by Pakistan People's Party was at the helm, which was less likely to prioritise a person from the armed forces. Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat had assumed charge of KPT in June 2000 and embarked on record development projects in and outside the port during his eight-year tenure, sources said.