The Ministry of Industries and Production is reportedly worried about the competency of Chief Executive Officer of National Industrials, (NIP) Mudassar Iqbal and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineering Development Board (EDB), Mirza Nasir Baig. Both the CEOs are under investigation on different counts at the Ministry's level.
"An inquiry is under process against CEO NIP on a letter written by the Board with respect to the legality of his appointment as CEO being employee of EDB. We are also investigating whether prolonged duration of acting change of Mirza Nasir Baig as CEO EDB is a violation of Estacode or not," said Additional Secretary Incharge Mian Asad Haya-un-Din.
Recently, Greenfield and Brownfield licences issued by the Ministry and its attached department raised serious questions. A deal of Rs 50 million was brought to the notice of Additional Secretary Incharge who took the file home and studied it thoroughly. When he questioned the concerned Joint Secretary, he was visibly upset, as previously Additional Secretary Captain Ijaz Ahmad (retired) had refused to issue Greenfield status to the company. Likewise, a couple of other such cases are also being discussed in the corridors of Ministry of Industries and Production. Many officials in the Ministry allege that the licenses were issued after the use of 'enticements' however details are not known.
A recent case approved by the Ministry of Industries and Production, will most likely land in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), sources added. An insider in the Ministry told Business Recorder that Mian Asad Haya-ud-Din is perhaps unaware of those engaged in a scam within the Ministry and its attached department; who reportedly include two key officials of the Ministry's attached department that was supposed to be dissolved after the decision of CCoE and ratified by the federal cabinet.
The scam forced a General Manager of EDB to resign whereas one woman General Manager is on leave due to the "unfavourable" attitude of the Ministry's top brass with respect to her sexual harassment application. The former Secretary Industries and Production, Khyzer Hayat Gondal was well aware of those engaged in the scam and kept them away from important assignments. A couple of cases have also been cleared recently, which Gondal had rejected.
Another scam ongoing in Karachi comprises of an official and a few individuals from the private sector who demand money in the name of Minister for Industries and Production, Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi. This issue has also been brought to the notice of the Minister. In a frank discussion with the Additional Secretary Incharge on the affairs of the attached departments, he said the Ministry has sought legal status of all the CEOs of the companies and organisations under the administrative control of Ministry of Industries and Production.
In reply to a question, he said the Ministry has received a number of official and unofficial complaints against the CEO NIP. Another insider told Business Recorder that recently, Additional Secretary Incharge discussed the "future" of CEO NIP with the Minister asking whether he should be let to go; reportedly the Minister is also unhappy with him for slow progress in his hometown projects.
A two-member committee comprising CEO Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) and Joint Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production, has recommended that the matter of hiring of CEO should be looked into with reference to Article 49 of Article of Association of NIP. It further suggested that NIP Board should seek clarification from MoI&P regarding employment of a government servant on the basis of Extra Ordinary Leave (EOL), as the Estacode only allows an individual to work with an international organisation/UN specialized agencies/ foreign governments on the basis of leave due/ EOL.
Talking about EDB, Additional Secretary Incharge said he has sent a summary to the federal cabinet, requesting a reversal of its decision of July last year. He further stated that he wants a vibrant individual for the slot of CEO EDB.
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