The appointment of Abid Latif Lodhi as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Central Power Purchasing Agency -Guaranteed (CPPA-G), is unlikely as several cabinet members have shown dissatisfaction at his previous record, well informed sources told Business Recorder.

Power Division, sources said, has held an inquiry against him which was sent by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in respect of financial regularities and appointments. This was revealed in the summary of Chairman Nepra as Lodhi was one of the three top candidates for that position.

CPPA-G is a public sector company limited by guarantee and under administrative control of Power Division and presently functioning as the market operator in accordance with Rule-5 of the Nepra Market Operator (Registration, Standards and Procedure) Rule, 2015. The administrative matters including appointment of CEO, CPPA-G are governed under the Companies Act, 2017 and Public Sector Companies (Corporate Governance) Rules, 2013 (CGR).

As per Rule 5(2) of the CGR, the Board shall evaluate the candidates based on fit and proper criteria and the guidelines specified by the Commission for appointment to the position of the Chief Executive Officer and shall recommend at least three candidates to the government.

The Board of Directors of CPPA-G initiated the process of recruitment for the post of CEO, CPPA-G in pursuance of the Companies Act 2017 and CGR and advertised the post of CEO CPPA-G in the national dailies on May 5, 2018. A total of 21 candidates applied for the position. The Board of Directors of CPPA-G after short-listing and interviewing recommended the following panel of three candidates in order of preference for consideration of the federal government for appointment as CEO CPPA-G; (i) Adid Latif Lodhi; (ii) Waqar Ahmed Khan and; (iii) Mubashar Bashir.

Power Division, in its summary argued that that after detailed deliberations and on the basis of profiles of the candidates the panel proposed that Abid Lodhi may be appointed against the post of CEO CPPA-G for a period of three years with immediate effect. However, Power Division did not mention who was party to those detailed deliberations which recommended selection of Lodhi.

However, when the summary was presented before the federal cabinet for appointment of Lodhi as CEO for three years, early this month, some of cabinet members raised objections at his credentials.

"During discussion, some of the members expressed reservations against the principal candidate. Power Division defended the credentials of the candidate but the cabinet deferred the summary for the time being," the sources added.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that some of the power sector consultants, who did not qualify for the post of CEO contacted CPPA-G officials to pass on information critical of Lodhi's appointment to cabinet members. The sources said, Power Division's "big bosses" feel that a powerful lobby within the cabinet which is not being entertained with respect to transfer and posting of their blue eyed in Discos is busy lobbying against them.

The names of key ministers from South Punjab and Swat were mentioned at different meetings as those grilling the Power Division during cabinet meetings.