Chairman Wapda Shakil Durrani is likely to get a three-year extension because of his more than three decades-old friendship with Minister for Water and Power, Ahmad Mukhtar, well informed sources told Business Recorder. Durrani, a former District Management Group (DMG) officer, was appointed Chairman Wapda about five years ago by the previous government. His contract will expire on September 7, 2012.
Although, Durrani was essentially appointed to expedite work on water projects, most of the projects remained far behind the schedule mainly because of reasons "administrative and financial constraints." The sources told Business Recorder that Minister for Water and Power, Ahmad Mukhtar, successfully persuaded the President that Durrani should be given a three-year extension in his contract without evaluating his performance.
According to some insiders, Durrani is more close to the Americans dealing with Pakistan's water and power sector issues instead of China which is a key partner of Pakistan in hydropower projects. Minister for Water and Power Ahmad Mukhtar recently confirmed to Business Recorder that his friendship with Shakil Durrani is spread over more than three decades and that according to him, he is an honest man. Durrani is informal Advisor to the Minister for Water and Power.
Mukhtar also disclosed that recently when he tried to introduce Durrani to President Zardari, his dress and shoes were quite suitable and he (Mukhtar) arranged clothes for him before the meeting. Basically, Mukhtar wanted to make a point that Durrani is an honest and trustworthy individual.
Durrani did not reply to the queries sent to him through SMS. Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the contract of Member Water Wapda, Syed Raghab Abbas Shah has also been extended for another three years. He was also not available for comments to answer certain questions in relation to extension in his contract.
It is pertinent to mention here that the financial package of one of Minister's close friends, Naveed Ismail, Managing Director, Genco Holding Company Limited with additional charge of MD, National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), is not being approved, which is said to be hovering around Rs 2 million per month. Official sources confirmed that neither Board of Genco Holding nor NTDC's Board gave consent to the package of new MD. When the issue was raised with Secretary Water and Power, Zafar Mahmood, he preferred said to be not to make any comments.