ISLAMABAD: The appointment of Mohammad Yasin as executive director of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) in 2002 has been challenged 12 years later in the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Mr Yasin is a key prosecution witness in the Rs82 billion Ogra scam case in which Ogra`s former chairman Taugir Sadiq and some serving and former officials of the authority are alleged to be involved.

Mr Yasin has recently filed a petition in the Supreme Court claiming that he is being harassed by seniorcolleagues for testifying in the Ogra scam case which is being tried in the Accountability Court of Islamabad.

The petition against Mr Yasin was filed by local lawyer Haider Ali against his appointment as the authority`s executive director in 2002.

According to the petitioner, Mr Yasin who was working as deputy director in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources in 2002 assumed the office of Ogra`s executive director without relinquishing the charge of his previous post in the ministry and for some time drew salaries from the ministry and also from Ogra.According to the petitioner, Mr Yasin has now applied for the post of Ogra`s member oil and has been interviewed by a panel constituted for the purpose.

The lawyer requested the court to issue a decree against the initial appointment of Mr Yasin in Ogra and the process initiated for the recruitment of member oil.

After hearing the preliminary arguments Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the IHC issued notices to the ministry, Ogra and Mr Yasin and sought their comments.

The court adjourned further hearing in the matter till a date to be fixed by the registrar ofhce.