"Munawar Baseer Ahmad has consolidated the position of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) as a trailblazer in Pakistan's energy sector and though it is no easy task to emulate high standards set by him, we would rise above the challenges and make the company even stronger in days to come."
This was stated by SSGC's new Managing Director Azim Iqbal Siddiqui while speaking at an Iftar-dinner, hosted by Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectual Forum in honour of Munawar Baseer Ahmad, who was recently appointed Managing Director of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) after serving as SSGC Managing Director for nearly five years. Sindh Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Qamar Mansoor and leading businessmen of the city were also present on the occasion.
Azim Iqbal Siddiqui said that keeping in view that Pakistan's indigenous gas resources were insufficient to narrow the demand-supply gap beyond 2010, the SSGC undertook Pakistan "Mashal" LNG project as part of the country's energy gap coverage strategy. "LNG will be the fuel of the future," he observed.
He assured the business community of SSGC's unconditional co-operation in fulfilling their needs just like the company had done under the leadership of Munawar B. Ahmad
Speaking on the occasion, the new Managing Director of Pepco, said while he had been assigned an extremely daunting task by the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan of reinvigorating 14 corporate entities that came under his company's wing, he said he was all charged up to revive their fortunes in the same say he and his team turned the SSGC into a model utility.
He said that during his tenure as SSGC chief, the company worked tirelessly for the business community in keeping with its corporate culture of "service with a smile."
Thanking the business community for its utmost co-operation during his tenure, he said he was confident that it would provide Azim Iqbal Siddiqui and his team the same support. Paying tributes to Munawar B. Ahmad, Sindh Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Qamar Mansoor said that apart from setting new standards of excellence in the SSGC, Munawar Baseer Ahmad patronised cycling as a sport in Pakistan.
He specifically mentioned the role played by Munawar Baseer Ahmad in setting up a velodrome in Karachi despite numerous obstacles, and hoped that the latter would be present at its foundation laying in the near future.
Leading business entrepreneur S. M. Muneer, called Munawar Baseer Ahmad a legend and a go-getter, and wished him all the success in rejuvenating Pakistan's power sector. He thanked him for giving top priority to the grievances and problems of the business community.
Welcoming Munawar Baseer Ahmad and other guests, President of Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectual Forum Mian Zahid Hussain said that companies across Pakistan should emulate the SSGC and its operations and follow the management style of Munawar Baseer Ahmad, who brought the SSGC at par with any good multinational company through best business practices, he said.-PR