LAHORE: Several senior officials of the National Transmission and Despatch Company have termed the recent decisions on promotions and transfers based on ‘favouritism’ and urged the ministry of energy (power division) to intervene in the issue.

In a unique case, one of the senior officers, who was not promoted despite being on merit and is set to retire next month, was first reverted from the general manager (current charge) to chief engineer, made junior to his subordinate and then transferred to Multan within a period of one month, Dawn has learnt.

“Since junior officials are being promoted and posted as bosses of their seniors, there is frustration in NTDC and official work and efficiency is suffering badly,” deplores one of the officers bearing the brunt of NTDC management’s decisions.

According to a recent letter written by 12 additional chief engineers to the power division secretary, the officers said despite fulfilling all criteria, the promotion board promoted the junior officers on the basis of favouritism, pick and choose by deferring the seniors due to its ‘bias’.

“You are requested that the NTDC management may kindly be directed to cancel promotions [done] in violation of the promotion policy and a fresh board of NTDC officers from manager to chief engineer may be conducted on merit in the best interest of justice,” the letter signed by the officers including Khalid Mahmood, Muhammad Arif, Saqib Shamim, Shabbir Ali Shah, Misri Wighemal, Tanveer Ahmad, Muhammad Afzal, Ajlal Safdar Bukhari, Altaf Hussain Kalwar, Javed Memon and Amjad Ali says.

Similarly, in another move 12 chief engineers, who, under the criteria were liable to be promoted, were not considered to be upgraded. These included Masoodur Rehman, Umar Farooq, Tariq Saeed, Muhammad Sakhawat, Altaf Baloch, Bashir Memon, Malik Zulifqar, Jamshaid Ahmad, Kamran Siddiq, Munawar Bhatti, Arif Khan and Ms Shahda Wazir.

Another official source said he since his appointment around 25 years before never witnessed ‘such illegal acts’ being done in the company at the moment.

“In order to benefit from the experience, knowledge and expertise, Mr Muhammad Sakhawat, chief engineer (standard and specifications design) is hereby transferred and posted as chief engineer (asset management), Multan with immediate effect till further orders,” reads an order.

NTDC Managing Director Manzoor Ahmad dispelled the impression, claiming that the promotions were made on the basis of performance. “The promotions were made on the basis of selection that means it was done by reviewing performance and not the seniority,” he argued.

To a question, he said one officer, who was not promoted as GM, was transferred to Multan on the basis of expertise in asset management.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2022