ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) asked the federal government on Monday to fill the vacant post of managing director at the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) within a week.

The court warned that if the government did not comply with the order, the appointment of officers as caretaker managing director (MD) and deputy MD would stand suspended.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani passed the directive during the hearing of a petition filed by Safdar Ali, Senior General Manager at the NTDC.

He named the federal government, acting NTDC MD Rana Abdul Jabbar and Deputy MD Manzoor Ahmed as respondents.

The IHC reminded the respondents that the assistant attorney general (AAG) had informed it on Oct 20 that the NTDC board had already recommended three names to the federal government for appointment as managing director at the company.

According to the respondents, the AAG needs more time as the federal government has yet to give the final approval to one of the names recommended to it for appointment as managing director.

On the other hand, counsel for the petitioner, Mohammad Shuaib Shaheen, contended that the NTDC and the ministry of energy (power division) were violating the IHC order persistently by giving caretaker charge of managing director to Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar, general manager, instead of filling the vacancy.

The court observed: “Prima facie, disclose the highhandedness on the part of the federal government who were not managing the affairs according to rules and law on the subject, though it has clearly been settled by the superior courts that the caretaker appointment is only meant for day-to-day affairs for a short period of time and could not be stretched on months.

“Therefore, as per the undertaking of the Law Officer, seven days’ time is granted for appointment of Managing Director, NTDC, to the federal government. However, if no meeting is convened till the next date of hearing, the notification dated July 7, 2022, for appointment of Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar as Managing Director of NTDC, as well as the notification dated March 29 for appointment of Manzoor Ahmed, as deputy managing director on contract basis shall stand suspended till the appointment of regular incumbent.”

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2022