ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday promoted Chief Executive Officer of Peshawar Electric Supply Company Tariq Sadozai as chairman of National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).

“In exercise of powers conferred under section 3 of Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power Act, 1997, the competent authority has been pleased to appoint retired Brig Tariq Mahmood Khan Sadozai as chairman, Nepra, for a period of four years with immediate effect and until further orders,” said a formal notification.

The post has been lying practically vacant since March 2012. The fresh selection was made by a selection committee led by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. The committee shortlisted former secretary Akhlaq Tarar, but recommended Mr Sadozai for the important job.

This is the first high-profile induction made by the PML-N government after a recent judgment of the Supreme Court that accepted the executive authority in the appointment of key officials of regulatory bodies, autonomous corporations and registered companies under their respective acts of law instead of an independent commission as desired by the former Supreme Court chief justice.

Brig Sadozai, who is from D.I. Khan, was managing director of the Karachi Electric Supply Company during early years of the Gen Musharraf’s regime.

He was inducted as the Chief Executive Officer of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) by the PPP government reportedly on the recommendations of Maulana Fazlur Rehman as Mr Sadozai’s notification was issued the day former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf was elected to the office.

Published in Dawn, November 21th, 2014