MULTAN: The services of Chief Executive Officer of the Multan Electric Company (Mepco) have been repatriated to the National Transmission and Dispatch Company which is his parent department.

Mr Tahir Mehmood had recently complained of political interference in the transfer and posting of officials.

His transfer was notified by the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) on July 30. Mepco Chief Engineer of Strategic Planning Itrat Hussain has been given the additional charge of the CEO office.

Outgoing CEO faced criticism from PTI politicians.

Presiding over a meeting in the parliament house to review the performance of Mepco on July 23, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi issued a warning that Mepco officials who were under performing would not be tolerated at all.

The meeting was attended by Energy Minister Umar Ayub Khan and parliamentarians from south Punjab, including Minister for Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam and Chief Whip of National Assembly Malik Amir Dogar. All had different issues with the company.

The energy minister assured the meeting that steps would be taken to improve the Mepco’s performance.

Next day, at a meeting of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, the Mepco chief alleged political interference in matters related to transfer and posting of officials.

Referring to the meeting presided over by the foreign minister, he said most of the complaints pertained to transfer and posting which he could not entertain because of a ban imposed by the power division. He also alleged pressure for hiring people.

He claimed that the loadshedding was carried out only in high loss feeders as per the government’s policy and there was no unannounced loadshedding or overbilling in Mepco.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2020