Islamabad:
Petroleum Division has ordered an inquiry after officials of the Directorate General (Oil), Policy Wing, headed by Imran Ahmed who also holds the additional charge of Acting Director General Petroleum Concessions (DGPC), allegedly provided incorrect information about outstanding dues of Cnergyico Pakistan Limited.
According to sources familiar with the development, the inquiry was initiated after a contradictory statement emerged regarding the outstanding dues of Cnergyico Pakistan Limited, one of the country’s leading oil refining and marketing companies.
During an internal briefing at the Secretary Petroleum’s Office, DG (Oil) officials reported that no outstanding amount was pending against the company. However, during a subsequent presentation at the Prime Minister’s Office, the same officials claimed that Rs 5 billion were outstanding against Cnergyico.
This discrepancy, sources said, caused embarrassment to the Petroleum Division in front of senior government officials and prompted the Secretary Petroleum to order an immediate inquiry.
The purpose of the probe is to determine how the misinformation occurred, who was responsible, and whether the misstatement was intentional or a result of negligence.
The incident has raised questions about administrative oversight and performance within one of the most critical regulatory wings of the Petroleum Division, said sources.
According to an official memorandum issued by the Petroleum Division, the inquiry committee comprises Mr. Khalil Ahmed, Joint Secretary (A&CA), and Syed Muhammad Ahsen, Director (Admin), Policy Wing.
The two-member committee has been directed to complete its investigation and submit a report within three days. The memorandum, signed by Assistant Director (Admin) Yasir Farooq, has been circulated to all relevant senior officials, including the Additional Secretaries (Policy and Admin) and the Director General (Oil) for immediate compliance.
This is not the first time that Imran Ahmed’s tenure in the Petroleum Division has come under scrutiny. He was previously removed from the position of DGPC in early 2020 after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) initiated an inquiry against him over an alleged $50 million scam.
The case involved a deliberate delay in injecting 30 Million Cubic Feet per Day (MMCFD) of gas into the national gas transmission system. The delay forced the government to import expensive LNG at around $10 per MMBTU to meet demand, compared to locally produced gas costing roughly $4 per MMBTU, causing a massive financial loss to the exchequer.
Industry sources told this correspondent that the performance of the DGPC office under the current acting chief has been disappointing. The country’s recent petroleum licensing round, launched with great expectations, failed to attract investors, with bids received for only one out of 23 exploration blocks on offer.
“The entire E&P sector is frustrated due to the lack of proactive engagement from the DGPC’s office,” said a seasoned industry source. He added that the previous DGPC, Kashif Ali, had been “highly professional and instrumental” in building investor confidence, particularly in offshore exploration initiatives.
Another industry source alleged that under Imran Ahmed’s leadership, the DGPC has become “practically non-functional,” leading to delays in administrative approvals and stalled exploration activities. “This level of inefficiency at the regulator’s office reflects poorly on Pakistan’s investment climate,” the source said.
Meanwhile, sources within the Petroleum Division said the inquiry over the DG (Oil) misstatement is part of a broader effort by the Secretary Petroleum to enforce accountability and restore credibility. However, the Division has yet to issue any official clarification on whether the misstatement regarding Cnergyico’s dues was a clerical lapse or a deliberate attempt to mislead senior authorities.
The outcome of the ongoing inquiry is expected to determine whether further disciplinary action will be taken against the concerned officials, including Acting DGPC Imran Ahmed.
