PEDO (Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation) was created out of SHYDO (Sarhad Hydel Development organisation) and at the time of its creation, PEDO was in possession of billions of funds, and more than 30 completed feasibility studies for Hydel projects in KPK.
But in the past three years, PEDO has constructed a new office building, procured many vehicles including buses and Toyota pickups, while it has dramatically increased the salaries of its employees. But unfortunately no major hydel project has been initiated or completed, instead PEDO is pursuing micro hydel, solar and wind projects in KPK. Even the CEO has claimed that only 2.5MW electricity is being produced from PEDO projects and not even the projects initiated in previous government have been completed.
When PEDO was created its CEO should have been an engineer, but instead the CFO of KPOGCL (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil & Gas Company Limited) was installed as the CEO of PEDO. This was done because the energy department of KPK is being developed by Raziullah Razi, a ex-OGDCL and Attock refinery employee, with experience in O&G field, who was hired to run KPOGCL, PEDO and KP Energy Projects (including the 1000MW electricity from local gas). And it is Mr. Razi (CEO KPOGCL) who has installed Mr. Akbar Ayub, against the rules, as CEO of PEDO to help create a one-man show to manage all these departments.
Mr. Razi gets a salary of 2.5 million Rupees from KPOGCL, while he has ensured that in KPOGCL engineers work on salaries of 10,000 Rupees only. Similarly Mr. Razi is heading KPOGCL without having any engineering registration and neither is KPOGCL properly registered with PEC (Pakistan Engineering Council), which is illegal. Even KPOGCL has failed to initiate projects or start any substantial work in the O&G sector in the past 3 years.
Since energy is a major requirement not only for KP, but also for the entire Pakistan, therefore it is very strange to see that PEDO, KPOGCL and 1000MW electricity project of KP, that were started 3 years ago have not achieved any significant results. And one can only assume that the people involved are more interested in getting high salaries and hiring professionals than doing any work. Therefore PTI Leader Imran Khan is kindly requested to personally look into the affairs of the KPK Energy department and hire good workers for these departments that are technically sound.
ENGR. ZEESHAN KHAN,
Peshawar, June 24.