The government has extended the forced leave of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Chairman Tauqir Sadiq for another three months. According to sources in Ogra, the government has appointed Sabir Hussain Member Oil Ogra as the acting chairman until the settlement of the Tauqir Sadiq case, who is said to be a close relative of Pakistan People Party''s stalwart Jahangir Badr.
Tauqir Sadiq is accused of corruption and illegal grant of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations licenses and relocation of stations sites, which are being probed by a parliamentary panel. Sources said Tauqeer Sadiq would not be allowed to take charge of his office until the completion of inquiry initiated by Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) into the corruption charges.
On August 18, Additional Secretary Cabinet Division Shahidullah Baig informed the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources which met with Sardar Talib Hassan Nakai in the chair that Tauqeer Sadiq had been sent on forced leave for three months due to some allegations and his leave would be extended till the Federal Public Service Commission probe is completed.
"The Ogra chairman had challenged this decision of the government in high court which had dismissed his appeal and later he went to a double bench which also dismissed the appeal against government," he said, adding that the court had said in its decision that perks and privileges being given to Ogra Chairman Tauqeer Sadiq is a loss to poor nation.
He said the inquiry over corruption charges levelled against him was underway by FPSC and the Cabinet Division had moved a summary to the PM to extend his forced leave, which ended on August 28, 2011 and on Monday when Tauqir Sadiq came to resume charge of his office, he was shown the notification of his forced leave extension.
According to Jamshed Dasti, a Member National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources, "all the officials of Ogra were thieves that were trying to save the skin of each other. "Ogra authorities have been involved in the fraud and culprits should be taken to task," Dasti said, alleging that Ogra had hired agents to strike deals on CNG stations licenses.
"I have also proofs and addresses of those agents who have been on the penal of Ogra to strike deals on CNG stations licenses." The Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain is said to be making efforts to remove Sadiq on corruption charges. But sources in the authority argued that the minister''s move is against the spirit of the Ogra Ordinance.