July 30, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 26, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 29: The federal and the NWFP governments are in a row over the appointment of a provincial member in the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).

The post of Nepra’s member of NWFP would fall vacant on Sept 1 after the completion of the second term of incumbent Abdul Rahim Khan. He has been working as Nepra member since September 2000.

Informed sources said the provincial government had once again recommended the name of Mr Khan to represent the NWFP for another four years, but the federal government was reluctant to appoint him for a third term.

The sources said NWFP Chief Minister Mohammad Khan Hoti and ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan had raised the issue with the federal government and the PPP leadership to convey their displeasure over rejection of the provincial government’s recommendations about the NWFP’s representation in a constitutional and quasi-judicial body.

The post of the Nepra member from Sindh remained vacant for more than two year because of a similar tussle between the provincial and federal governments. Later, Mr Maqbool Ahmad Khawaja was appointed by the caretaker government.

Earlier, he was excluded from candidates shortlisted for the appointment of the Nepra chairman during the last few days of the caretaker government, but none of the shortlisted candidates could be interviewed as caretaker prime minister Mohammedmian Soomro appointed his principal secretary, Khalid Saeed, as Nepra chief without meeting requirements of the Nepra Act.

The Nepra is a statutory body set up to strike a balance between the interests of the government, investors and consumers in a deregulated power market.

Its members are appointed by the federal government, on the recommendations of the provincial governments, if the candidates fulfil eligibility criteria laid down in the Nepra Act.