A three-member inquiry committee constituted by Petroleum Ministry has cleared the withheld salary and perks of the former acting Managing Director (MD) of Pakistan State Oil (PSO), saying that it was against the company rules to withhold his pay and perks. According to sources, the committee was constituted by the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources under the supervision of Joint Secretary Petroleum Ministry to look into the matters relating to the withheld salary and perks of former acting MD PSO, Amjad Parvaiz Janjua.
Janjua was made acting MD PSO in July 2013, but following the Petrol crisis of January 2015, he was suspended along with former Secretary Petroleum Abid Saeed, Naeem Malik Additional Secretary Petroleum, Azam Khan DG Oil Ministry of Petroleum. All the other suspended officials of the Ministry were withdrawing their salaries but Amjad Parvaiz Janjua's salary was withheld over charges of "excess payment".
The committee noted that Janjua, a permanent employee of PSO as Senior General Manager was assigned the additional responsibility of MD PSO by the government with effect from July 29, 2013. The board of directors in its meeting held on June 26, 2014 had approved his salary and perks.
The Ministry has reinstated Abid Saeed former Secretary Petroleum who later was posted as Secretary Ministry of Kashmir Affairs, while Naeem Malik retired in May 2015 and was made Advisor to the Mari Petroleum Company Limited (MPCL) with a pay package of Rs 0.8 million per month. Azam Khan is still suspended and the Ministry has now cleared the salaries of the former MD of state-run oil marketing company. Officials said that DG Oil, Azam Khan is likely to be restored within the next few weeks as his one year service is left with the Ministry.
Following Janjua's suspension, MD Government Holding Private Limited (GHPL), Shahid Islam, was given acting charge as PSO chief and allegedly received not only a salary from GHPL but also the salary that was being given to Amjad Parvaiz Janjua. Following the petrol crisis, Petroleum Ministry had also dissolved board of directors of PSO and all powers were given to Shahid Islam.
The committee observed that no excess payment was made to Amjad Parvaiz Janujua and withholding of his pay and perks is uncalled for. Being a permanent company employee, his pay and perks may be released from the same time along with arrears, if any, the committee recommended. PSO lawyers gave the opinion that the company's board of directors had the authority to fix remuneration. Consequently, the salary payment was made to Amjad Parvaiz Janjua pursuant to the board's decision.
The committee also noted that chairman board of directors of PSO had issued a letter on June 27, 2014 to Petroleum Minister under intimation to the petroleum secretary conveying the decision of the PSO board regarding salary determination for information, record and any further action, if required. "Since it is an entrenched principle of law that salary/benefit once paid to an employee cannot be withdrawn, the payment of salary to Janjua in compliance with the board's decision has attained a past and closed transaction," the inquiry report added.
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