ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Tauseef H. Farooqi is reportedly facing widening resistance in the organisation as two employees have approached Wafaqi Mohtasib, Islamabad against him.
Maria Rafique, Legal Advisor NEPRA and Asfandyar Farooq Khan, Deputy Director (Admin& HR), have filed complaints to Wafaqi Mohtasib against the Chairman NEPRA. Maria Rafique filed a complaint of mal-administration against Chairman NEPRA.
According to a letter to Wafaqi Mohtasib, she first initiated the process of highlighting her concerns to the Authority Members through "enclosed emails of October 10, and October 21. However, the Chairman through an arbitrary, unjust and discriminatory process through a coercive manner tried to get my termination letter signed."
She further contended that the news spread in the organization, which is in itself demeaning and disrespectful to the most respected professional of NEPRA. Maria Rafique maintained that Farooqi has created a negative and unhealthy work environment in the legal department.
Being the immediate supervisor, "he has exploited me with the unfair distribution of work and at the same time, he has been using my colleagues, Irfan Gill and Nasir Ayyaz against me. In fact, these legal advisors wrote my termination letter in Farooq's office. Ayyaz is currently on a probation period and there are corruption allegations against Gill."
She further contends that "instead of encouraging an environment of mutual respect, Farooqi is pushing her colleagues to extend non-cooperative behaviour towards her. He has been showing them her Head of Department nomination file lying in his office for quite some time to reiterate that he is the boss and all are reporting to him. He has been misusing the legal department time and resources of the National Regulator of Pakistan.
"This toxic work environment has certainly impacted my health and wellbeing. I have developed a medical condition due to unfair and unhealthy work environment, which has been intentionally created by Farooqi. Never had I received any additional charge compensation nor I have been ever asked how l am managing the whole legal department work," she said, adding that Farooqi repeatedly mentioned and acknowledged her late-night working.
"He has been unable to recognize the same through fair recognition against the legal advisor, who has a proven record of corruption," she argued. She maintained that Chairman has failed to take any action against the corrupt advisor in order for him to serve his vested interests, "which cannot be served by me being contrary to law. One such example is the development of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Regulations.
When I advised him that the NEPRA Act, 1997 does not allow the provision of CSR regulations, he engaged an external lawyer and Irfan Gill was in support with him. Farooqi support to the corrupt employee against a person of integrity shows his inability to recognize and exercise the principle of meritocracy," she alleged.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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