Hectic lobbying underway for NJHPC CEO post

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s directives for regularization of all key positions by the federal cabinet has created a difficult situation for all those who held key posts on temporary basis but without complying with the required rules and regulations.

Now a hectic lobbying is underway to get all such key posts regularized and one such key post is that of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Neelum Jhelum Hydro Power Company (NJHPC). The current CEO Muhammad Zareen has been working since 2016 on temporary basis.

Prime Minister Imran Khan in a decision dated 13-5-2020 directed all ministries/divisions to regularize services of those where appointment was made without approval/endorsement of cabinet.

Official documents available with The News showed that Lt Gen (R) Muhammad Zubair, former CEO of Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Company, resigned on 02-09-2016. The additional charge of the post was assigned to Engineer Muhammad Zareen, Adviser to Wapda on Northern Areas projects, on 15-09-2016 by the Wapda chairman.

At that time it was also pointed out that as par earlier directives of then PM, the filing up of posts of CEO/GM/PD of three mega hydel projects namely Diamer Bhasha Dam, Dasu HPP and Neelum Jhelum HPP through a headhunting firm is already under process in Wapda.

It was also informed by Wapda that the firm was identified after a rigorous process under the rules and work order was issued to the successful firm for completion of task. The issue of appointment of CEO NJHPC was brought as an agenda item before the Board of Directors meeting of NJHPC held on 4-10-2016 where Chairman Wapda informed the Board that the PM was pleased to approve the recommendation of chairman Wapda to appoint Engr. Muhammad Zareen as the CEO NJHPC.

The Board decided to appoint CEO NJHPC on temporary basis. In the official summary, it was proposed that the charge of post of CEO NJHPC may be assigned to Engr. Muhammad Zareen, Advisor Wapda on Northern Areas, on temporary basis with effect from the charge assumption by the incumbent on such remuneration as admissible under the rules after necessary approval of the BOD of NJHPC and till regular appointment against the post of CEO NJHPC through the headhunting process.

Now the sources said the age of incumbent NJHPC CEO is over 70 years and under the Supreme Court order in 2010 his regularizetion required a waiver from the prescribed rules and regulations.

The incumbent CEO has been drawing a monthly salary of Rs4,91 000 per month coupled with 60,000 per month house rent and two official vehicles. The post of CEO NJHPC is for three years (extendable for six months) with 6 months probation. The required qualification of CEO of NJHPC is that the candidate must be a graduate (preferably Masters) Engineer in Civil Discipline with MBA or Master’s Degree in Project Management or Engineering.

There are low-grade employees working on this NJHPC project on contract basis and they are complaining that they are not being regularized under the command of acting CEO of this project despite commitment from higher authorities.

This reporter contacted spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resource and inquired whether regularization of services of CEO NJHPC was under consideration and whether it would be forwarded to the PM for formal approval, the spokesperson replied “No” without explaining further.

The spokesperson was further inquired but he did not reply for several days. When this reporter contacted the Wapda spokespersons, he replied that a summary was being prepared and would be forwarded to the prime minister for getting final approval related to appointment of CEO NJHPC within due course of timeframe.