Business Recorder/30-06-2020

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday removed Secretary Power Division, Irfan Ali, an officer of BS 22 of Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), regarded as one of the most honest bureaucrats. Sources in the Power Division told that Ali was removed because he was attempting to root out corruption, resisting politically motivated transfers, and postings, rent seekers and taking on bureaucrats who reportedly tampered with Council of Common Interest’s (CCI’s) decision on Net Hydel Profit (NHP). The newly-appointed Secretary Power, Omar Rasul, an officer of BS 22 of PAS who, has already served in the Power Division as Additional Secretary/Managing Director Pepco when Younus Dagha was Secretary Power Division. Previously, he served as Secretary Board of Investment (BoI) for more than a year with Commerce Advisor, Abdul Razak Dawood The sources privy to this development said that Irfan Ali was under pressure for the last one and half years from Members of National Assembly and Senators from the government side on matters relating to transfers/postings; but both the Minister for Power, Omar Ayub and Irfan Ali were resisting these members and maintaining that they will not make any transfer/posting without merit. The two also bore the brunt of their resistance at the federal cabinet meetings.