The Board of Directors (BoDs) of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) scheduled to meet today (Wednesday) will consider 'shabby appointment' of Executive Directors (EDs) despite the protest by some senior General Managers (GMs) alleging usurpation of their rights.
OGDCL management has ignored senior General Manager (GM) Bisharat Mirza for the post of ED who is first on the seniority list, saying that he had no degree of Engineering. Human Resource Committee (HRC) of OGDCL's board had interviewed 55 short listed candidates for the slots of EDs.
"Now, HRC has recommended six candidates for three posts of EDs; (i) Exploration;(ii) Production and;(iii) Petroserve," sources said adding that Zafar Chaudhry is alternate candidate for ED Petroserve, Shamim Abbas Zaidi ED Petroserve, Riaz Khan ED Production and Tariq Jiswal for ED Exploration. Two outsiders have also been recommended as alternate for post of ED Exploration.
According to a directive of the Supreme Court, all ministries and departments cannot retain officials on contract exceeding 60 years of age. In its advertisement, OGDCL had sought applications for the post of EDs for three-year contract. It is interesting to note that Zafar Chaudhry has crossed age of 59 and how OGDCL would retain him after 60 years if he is appointed. The other candidate Tariq Jiswal has reached the age of 58 and a half year and therefore it would be difficult for the company to retain him for thee year on contract basis after reaching 60.
Ministry of Petroleum has recently issued directions to all public sector oil and gas companies to sack those officials on contract who had crossed age of 60. "This shows mala fide intention of OGDCL management to recommend those people who are about to reach age of retirement," sources alleged.
Moreover, according to seniority list, Basharat Mirza stands at number 1, Muhammad Rafi at 2, Zafar Chaudhry at 3, Riaz Khan at 4, Tariq Jiswal at 5 and Shamim Iftikhar Zaidi at 6. Some senior General Managers with wide experience in their respective fields have alleged that OGDCL management followed 'pick and choose' policy by denying rights of their promotions. These GMs have already been denied promotions when past OGDCL management reportedly made illegal appointment of EDs.
Basharat A. Mirza, General Manager Supply Chain Management, in a letter sent to MD Naeem Malik and ED Human Resource (HR) Arif Abrahim said "the positions of ED Exploration, Petroserv, Production and Security are to be the leaders at the top level in the organisation who should have capacity to take decisions, achievements on their credit and good relationship with their colleagues at all levels". Mirza said "I request that I may be considered for promotion to an appropriate (ED) position in the company".
Another GM has written a letter to the Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources, Sheikh Waqas, seeking remedy over the injustice being done by OGDCL management over ignoring him for post of ED. Sheikh Waqas in a meeting of NA body held on April 7 had drawn the attention of outgoing MD OGDCL Naeem Malik towards the discrimination being made among the company employees.