According to him, MoI&P was requested to nominate another officer for appointment as new MD which then sent a summary for appointment of new MD to Establishment Division for onward approval of PM as Minister of Industries. The summary is still pending. Previous MD is not leaving the PECO office and company has become non-functional. One of the previous Managing Directors Shafqat Ranjha had also been removed under questionable circumstances.
Meanwhile, Arif Habib, one of the members of the Peco's Board of Directors, has written a letter to Chairman Board Kaukab Mohiyuddin, saying that he has received a copy of a letter dated January 25, 2019 addressed to him (Chairman Board) written by Main Anwer Aziz, the Company secretary, conveying the continuing "illegal" activities of Mairaj A Ariff, who was removed from the position of Managing Director by the Board in its 199th Meeting held on December 14, 2018 at the Ministry of Industries and Production.
"As you are aware, the decision to remove Arif as MD Peco was taken unanimously by the Board with the concurrence, and in the presence, of the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Industries, as well as the Secretary MOI&P the nominating authorities for the post of MD PECO on behalf of the Government of Pakistan," Arif Habib added.
He further stated that as reported by the company Secretary in his letter, the "former" MD is "illegally" occupied the company's premises, despite removal from the post and is acting in conjunction with some other persons he has "illegally" appointed to prevent senior officials of the company from discharging their statutory and contractual duties. Furthermore, most alarmingly, the former MD has "illegally" opened and is "illegally" operating bank accounts in the name of the Company. In doing so, he has thus far removed over Rs.100 million from bank accounts in the name of the company.
Arif Habib has urged Chairman Board to call an emergent meeting of the Board of Directors of PECO to consider the actions that the Board can and is obliged to take to safeguard the company's interests and assets.
The actions that the Board may take could include filing of criminal charges/complaints against Mairaj A Arif, as well as against the relevant persons acting in "criminal collusion" with him; taking necessary action to approach the courts of law to obtain appropriate orders restraining such "illegal" occupation and actions; and urgently approaching the MOI&P requesting that immediate and necessary action be taken under the law against its renegade employee.
