Appointment of Wapda Chairman challenged in LHC

LAHORE: Appointment of the new Chairman of Wapda Lt. Gen. (retd) Sajjad Ghani has been challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC), ARY News reported on Tuesday.

“The new chairman of Wapda has been appointed against the merit,” a petition filed in the high court contended. “The appointment has been made against open merit and the relevant rules,” petitioner argued.

“A meaningful consultation with the Council of Common Interests (CCI) is constitutional requirement for the appointment of Wapda chairman,” according to the petition.

The petition seeks the court to declare the appointment of Wapda chairman as unconstitutional and null and void.

The government has appointed Gen Ghani as Wapda chairman for a period of five years. The post was lying vacant since May 7 this year after the resignation of retired Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain. He had remained Wapda chairman for more than five years.

After Muzammil Hussain’s resignation, the government handed over the charge to Wapda member (finance) Naveed Asghar till the appointment of a regular chairman.

Gen Hussain was appointed as Wapda chairman on Aug 24, 2016 by then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, replacing Zafar Mahmood. Gen Hussain’s contract expired on Aug 24 last year, but the previous government reappointed him for another period of five years.

In his resignation submitted to PM Shehbaz Sharif, the outgoing Wapda chairman stated that he was unable to continue as Wapda chairman due to personal and family compulsions.