The managing director of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited has resigned following a controversy over his dismissal by the government which was then followed by his restoration by the Lahore High Court. Sources said Arif Hameed gave his resignation on Wednesday during a meeting of the board of directors that was held under Chairman Saeed Mehdi at the Gas House on the Kashmir Road. Board members have accepted his resignation.
Chief Financial Officer Uzma Adil is now taking the additional charge of the managing director. The Petroleum Ministry had earlier booted him, but the court then reinstated him to his original post after hearing his petition and told the government to explain its reasons on September 17.
The former managing director joined the gas company in 1978 and was appointed on April 2011. In September 2014 he was re-appointed by the government for two years. The sources claimed there was a tremendous pressure on him from the government to quit his top post and that he only gave his resignation a few days ago. It is also claimed that the former managing director had differences with the government on the import of the liquefied natural gas, with the latter seeing the former as the "last hurdle in the controversial fuel deal".