In a recent podcast with famous host Sohail Iqbal Bhatti, senior journalist Syed Khalid Mustafa brought to light critical concerns regarding the appointments made by the government to the Board of Directors of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL). Mustafa asserts that these appointments lack merit, ultimately hindering SNGPL’s ability to fulfill its fundamental charter and objectives without incurring further financial deficits.
Mustafa, who has a deep understanding of Pakistan’s energy sector, criticized key appointments as emblematic of elite capture and conflicts of interest. He highlighted the appointment of Ismail Qureshi, a retired bureaucrat and former secretary in the federal government’s Establishment and Power divisions, as the Chairman of SNGPL. Mustafa noted that Qureshi, lacking any relevant experience in the gas sector, secured this lucrative position due to his connections with a politically influential family during the past tenure of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs.
The journalist continued to unveil a pattern of questionable appointments, citing Sardar Saadat Ali Khan, a former SNGPL general manager, who was elected to the board through connections with Najam Sethi, a prominent political analyst and former chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Another board member, Faaria Rehman Salahuddin, is linked to notable social figure Yousuf Salahuddin, while Arif Saeed, CEO of Service Industries Limited, was appointed due to his ties with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). Additionally, Osman Saifullah Khan, son of businessman Anwar Saifullah, who has stakes in the oil and gas sector, is part of the board despite the evident need for qualified professionals.
Mustafa urgently called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to realign the appointment process for public sector companies, including SNGPL, based on merit rather than political connections.
