News
Thursday, January 19, 2012
NEPRA vice chairman resigns ‘under pressure’ from Sindh govt
By Zeeshan Javaid
ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Vice Chairman Maqbool Khawaja on Wednesday resigned from his post under pressure from the Sindh government.
NEPRA sources said that Khawaja’s resignation had been sent to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani for approval but had not been accepted yet.
Sources close to Khawaja, who was also NEPRA member Sindh, revealed that the Sindh government had reservations over Khawaja, particularly regarding documents submitted by NEPRA in the Supreme Court regarding Rental Power Plants (RPP) case.
Sources said that the Sindh government also cited other reasons including not facilitating NEPRA decisions about determination of power tariffs through additional and dissenting notes.
Sources added that decisions taken by NEPRA with the consent of member Sindh regarding determination of power tariffs of Independent Power Producers (IPP) didn’t match the policy adopted by the federal government.
According to Cabinet Secretary Nargis Sethi the resignation of the NEPRA vice chairman has been sent to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
Sources said that two prominent names, including former chief executive officer (CEO) Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) Habibullah Khilji and Deputy Director IT-NEPRA Abdul Ghafoor Sulangi were being considered for the portfolio of member Sindh.
Maqbool Khawaja had been appointed in NEPRA as member Sindh on November 20, 2007, on contractual basis for three-years. However, Prime Minister Gilani allowed Khawaja to continue in the post after giving him a 10-month extension. If Khawaja’s resignation is approved, the posts of member Sindh and Punjab will be vacant.Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk