PESHAWAR: A Peshawar High Court bench has sought reply from National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (Neeca) to a petition filed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textile Mills Association, challenging the appointment of its managing director.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Shakeel Ahmad and Justice Sahibzada Asadullah said that the replies should be filed by the Neeca board and its managing director within a fortnight.

The bench also directed a deputy attorney general, Mohammad Habib Qureshi, to argue the case on next date, which would be fixed later.

The bench issued the order after preliminary hearing of the petition jointly filed by KP Textile Mills Association (KPTMA) and nine textile mills in the province, claiming that managing director of the authority lacked the required qualification for the post.

The bench also issued notices to the respondents including the federal secretary of Ministry of Energy (Petroleum and Power Division), Neeca Managing Director Sardar Moazam and its board for responding to the petitioners’ plea, seeking interim relief of stopping the managing director from performing his functions till final disposal of the petition.

The petitioners have requested the court to declare the appointment as illegal and without lawful authority. They requested the court to set aside the appointment and any action taken by the managing director.

Barrister Ibrahim Khan Afridi appeared for the petitioners and stated that the authority was set up under National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, 2016.

He said that the authority was established as an institution for the efficient conservation and efficient use of energy in the country and other matters ancillary to the purpose. He added that control over the authority was exercised by the ministry of energy.

He said that the authority’s board was required to be established under section 3 of the Act, but it had yet to be constituted. He added that under section 6 (2) of the Act, appointment of the managing director must be made keeping in consideration that he was an energy and environmental expert with at least 10 years of experience in handling energy projects.

Barrister Ibrahim stated that on Dec 16, 2018, the ministry published advertisement in multiple newspapers for hiring of the managing director of the authority, seeking candidates who were eminent energy and environmental experts and possessed a minimum of 10 years of experience in the energy sector.

He said that Sardar Moazam was hired on the post on Nov 13, 2019, while lacking the relevant qualification for the post. He contended that the appointment of the managing director was a glaring example of nepotism and partisanship.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2021