ISLAMABAD: The government has appointed new member in the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) against a post that fell vacant more than three years ago.

“Mr Shahzad Iqbal has been appointed as Member Gas (MP-1 Scale Median), Ogra on contract basis, for a period of three years under Section 3(8) (b) of the Ogra Ordinance,” said the Cabinet Division in a notification. The contract begins with the date of joining.

The post of member gas remained vacant since November 2022 following the completion of a similar term of then member Muh­ammad Arif who could not get re-appointment as envisaged in the law because of opposition from within the regulator. Mr Iqbal was a former senior executive director at Ogra and retired from service a couple of months ago.

The notification completes the four member authority at the regulator after more than five years. However, the incumbent chairman of Ogra on an unprecedented one-year extension is expected to relinquish the position on Feb 22 after botched attempts for another four-year extension.

Informed sources said the Cabinet Division had moved another rare summary for four-year extension to the Ogra chairman but the prime minister rejected the move and ordered following laws and rules for fresh induction on merit.

On Feb 22, 2025, the Cabinet Division had stated that the government, under Section 3 (8) (a) Ogra Ordinance 2002, extended the contractual appointment of Masroor Khan till Feb 22, 2026. However, there was no provision for a one-year extension for the Ogra chairman in the said section of the act.

Section 8 (a) says that subject to sub-section (9) “the chairman shall be appointed by the Federal Government for an initial term of four years and shall be eligible for reappointment for a similar term while the sub-section 9 says “the chairman and the other members shall retire on attaining the age of 65 years”.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2026