LAHORE: The board of directors (BoD) of the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC) on Thursday entrusted Dr Naveed Ahmad Faraz, deputy manager (Career Development) with the additional charge of the office of general manager (human resource).

“The NTDC BoD, in its 125th meeting, on Sept 22 against additional agenda item No 2, has unanimously resolved and approved to assign the look after charge for the post of GM (HR) Dr Naveed Ahmad Faraz, Deputy Manger, purely on temporary basis with immediate effect till further orders in addition to his own duties (sic),” reads a notification.

On the other hand, a source, in the power division, wondered at the appointment of Dr Faraz at a senior position.

“He (Faraz) is a very junior officer in BPS-18. But he has been given the charge of BPS-20 position despite the fact that senior officers in BPS-19 or 20 were available in the company. It is a clear precedent of favouritism,” he alleged while talking to Dawn.

However, NTDC MD Azaz Ahmad dispelled the impression, stating that Mr Faraz was a PhD and capable of looking after the GM’s post efficiently. It may be mentioned that NTDC GM (HR) Farid Iqbal had on Sept 9 resigned after allegedly being pressurised by the BoD and the top management to either quit or face termination.

Mr Iqbal was said to have resisted giving a clean chit to an officer who was charged with corruption in an inquiry. However, the senior management rejected pressurising the GM, claiming that he had resigned due to personal reasons.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2021