The issue will come under discussion at a meeting of the PAC scheduled for May 23, 2017. A joint Secretary to the PAC, Syed Fayyaz Hussain Shah has written a letter to Secretary Commerce, Younas Dagha and sought details of appointments of CEO and Chairman of the Board besides other appointments made by the incumbent CEO.
The appointments of Chairman NICL Board and CEO have been reported in the media for some time and the Commerce Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan's anger at the CEO was overheard. Commerce Ministry is unhappy with the CEO claiming that the company's performance is not in accordance with target of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set by the Prime Minister at the time of appointment.
Unconfirmed reports, however, suggest that the main reasons for the Ministry's concerns are linked to "non co-operation" from the CEO in transfer and postings of officials with political parchis. The letter written by the PAC to Secretary Commerce says that it has been learnt that irregular and unlawful appointments have been made on key positions by the CEO, NICL.
According to the letter, Chairman PAC, has taken serious notice of the matter and desired that a point-wise and comprehensive report and a briefing/ presentation on the matter containing all facts and figures on the following points be given before the PAC meeting scheduled to be held on May 23, 2017: (i) alleged illegal appoint of CEO of NICL, Jamil Akhtar Khan who deceived the NICL management, Ministry of Commerce as well as SECP and Prime Minister's Office by concealing facts and providing false affidavit regarding punishment awarded by SECP on account of being proven guilty in malpractices. Under the rules, incumbent CEO cannot hold public office after being convicted. Moreover he is holding the position even after reaching the age of superannuation. Which competent authority and under what rules have given him extension in office after retirement?; (ii) alleged illegal and unlawful appointment of Mr. Ameen Bandduka as Chairman NICL Board, who is a bank defaulter of Rs 11,544,551 and as per rule, a defaulter of minimum one million rupees is not eligible to hold the position as Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has also deceived the management by providing a false affidavit. Moreover, he has dual nationality which has not been declared by him nor has he declared his company in UK; and (iii) it has been learnt that Jamil Akhtar Khan, NICL has so far filled as many as thirteen key positions at higher level by setting aside selection procedures, rules, and regulations. A list of appointments made by him, along with copy of advertisements and other relevant documents be furnished and the PAC in its meeting.
When contacted CEO NICL said that the objections raised on his appointment/approval as CEO are: (i) he was allegedly "punished/fined/convicted" by the SECP (Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan) who is regulator and that he "concealed" this fact in his affidavit/statement; and (ii) that he was "over-age".
CEO NICL stated that: "before conclusively disproving both these allegations, I would say that the person who has (or in whose name) this vicious baseless propaganda has been unleashed against me since the last six months or so is Inam-ul-Haque who retired from NICL some fifteen years or so ago. While in service, he had been President of NICL's Staff (CBA) Union and later on, once he was promoted to Officer's grade, he again got himself elected as the President of NICL Officers' Association. He has been black-mailing successive managements of NICL and extracting undue favours for himself. After he retired over fifteen years ago, he formed NICL Pensioners' Association, got himself 'elected' as its President or General Secretary (alternatively) and continued black-mailing the top management and extracting undue favours from them now and then.
"It can be verified from record, that he has either lodged complaints or instituted court cases against successive Chairmen/CEO over the last fifteen years. When I joined, he approached me too and asked for such undue favour, demanding increase in his monthly pension, etc. I categorically told him that I will only give what is due on merit and supported by proper working/calculations and duly audited as such; and told him clearly that I will not accede to his demands merely due to his pressure. He then left obviously unsatisfied," he continued.
Jamil Akhtar Khan further stated that there are certain other elements, like some who were inquired against and fired due to malpractices and corruption. Some others may still be within NICL rank and file but they are now unable to benefit from certain 'leakages' that have now been effectively plugged.
"In addition, since investigations are ongoing regarding certain past practices, they are scared that evidence of their corruption might eventually be dug out. So they have formed a nexus against me as well as against the present Board and its Chairman Ameen Bandukda, in order to either distract the management's attention or else get it removed through political pressure, vilification campaign and misleading and false propaganda," he further added.
"Since anonymous letters/complaints fetch little action, the same person's name has been used for this systematic campaign against me as well as Chairman Bandukda in all the possible forums that they could, including even the courts," he stated. As far as his so-called "conviction/punishment" is concerned, CEO NICL said that nobody, other than the SECP is competent to judge whether or not a person is convicted and whether or not facts have been concealed, since such statements/affidavits are filed before the SECP itself.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017