ISLAMABAD - Failing to learn a lesson from the past, the government has yet again promoted an official who is on bail in a fraud case and assigned him all-important energy-related projects, sources said. It is reliably learnt that Zahid Bakhtiar has been promoted as Acting General Manger (Projects) at Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL). In other words, in charge of all mega projects of the OGDCL, including the current ongoing tenders for some lucrative ventures such as Uch-II and Kunar Pasakhi Deep (KPD). Zahid is at present on bail from the Supreme Court in a fraud case. In a country where usually mega projects end up in jeopardy, the appointment of an indicted official has raised questions and highlighted the need for urgent attention from the authorities concerned to save the profitable entity, said economic pundits. In a SC order passed on a criminal appeal no. 345 of 2006, Zahid Bakhtiar is currently on bail and his passport is impounded. Zahid was accused by the National Accountability Bureau of a major fraud, sources said. Sources requesting not to be named shared with TheNation that his promotion as Acting General Manager has raised questions about the fate of the projects involving big money. A government guru, sources said, used his lobby in the companys management to get Zahid appointed in return for award of lucrative projects to the favourite in future. Available copies of the court orders and the bail documents of Zahid Bakhtiar revealed that Hafiz Muhammad Aslam is a co-accused with Zahid, and is also on bail and has his passport impounded by the same order. Ironically, procurement responsibility for the bids of all mega projects lies with him, sources added. It is also vindicates a report that the OGDCL made irregular appointments from 2006 to 2010 on 25 key posts on attractive pay packages in violation of the rules and regulations. Out of total 25 officials, around 12 are still working, including Asif Sindhu, who was appointed as ED Finance at Rs 800,000 per month salary, currently working as MD OGDCL. Sources said that commercial audit had confirmed irregular appointments but no action has been taken so far to end the prevailing chaos among the regular employees. Confirming the promotion of Zahid Bakhtiar as Acting General Manager (Projects), Bisharat Mirza, a spokesman for the OGDCL, said that a lot many projects are under process to meet the countrys ever increasing demand of energy. He hoped that soon mega projects of OGDCL would be materialised to overcome energy shortage in the country. Uch-II and KPD-Tanado Alla Yar, which is at the evaluation stage, should be up for approval within a month. Sanjaro is at the implementation stage while the Sulfur recovery project at Dakni is another mega project of the company, said the spokesman. The fate of mega projects, crucial to energy requirements, is in the doldrums if the management continued to comply with instructions coming from the top quarters. Before final annulment of the Uch Gas Field Development Project tender, the OGDCL had formed a committee comprising officials vying for promotions. The committee was headed by the incumbent MD. The committee will now once again review the bids, though these had already been evaluated technically with commercial price opening finalised.