ISLAMABAD: The federal government is likely to appoint Engr. Maqsood Anwar Khan, Chief Engineer (Operation & Commercial), Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) as member Nepra for four years, official sources told Business Recorder.

The post of the member Nepra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), is lying vacant since February 28, 2021 due to superannuation of the previous member, Engineer Bahadur Shah. The government of KP was requested by the Cabinet Division to submit a panel of three suitable nominees, along with their CVs, for appointment of one as member Nepra from the province. The KP government has nominated the following panel of three officers for the member Nepra KP (i) Engr. Maqsood Anwar Khan, Chief Engineer (Operation & Commercial), PEDO; (ii) Engr. Waqar Ahmed Khan, CEO Star Hydro Power Limited; and (iii) Engr. Muhammad Irfan, Chief Engineer (Dev), PEDO.

According to the Cabinet Division, section 3(1) of the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Act, 2018, stipulates that the Nepra should consist of a Chairman and four Members, one each from each province, to be appointed by the Federal Government after considering recommendations of the respective provincial governments.

Section 3(4) of the act stipulates that every member should be a person known for his integrity and eminence having experience of not less than twelve years in any “relevant field including law, business, engineering, finance, accounting or economics preferably in the electric power services business. Proviso to section 3(5) of the Act ibid provides that a Chairman or a member should not continue in office under sub-section (1) if he has attained the age of sixty years.” Cabinet Division argued that all three nominees fulfill the criteria as per the CVs provided by the KP government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021