ISLAMABAD: The government has extended the contract of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) chairman Masroor Khan for a year, effective Feb 23, apparently violating the Ogra Act.
In a notification on Friday, the Cabinet Division said the government, under Section 3 (8) (a) Ogra Ordinance 2002, extended the contractual appointment of Masroor Khan till Feb 22, 2026.
However, there is 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`.
Mr Masroor is the only chairman of any regulatory body in the country who is drawing a special professional pay scale (SPPS). SPPS all inclusive maximum remuneration works out at Rs2 million.
Other members of the Ogra have MP-scales at present `almost half that of their chairman.
Interestingly, the special package for chairman Ogra was approved to attract a former officer who passed away before the appointment.
The incumbent chairman has been successful in thwarting an advertisement seeking fresh appointment despite a tradition that the process of fresh appointment for members and chairmen of all regulators should begin three months before the vacancy of the post.
