Prime Minister Imran Khan had asked his Special Assistant on Petroleum Nadeem Babar to immediately step down from his portfolio owing to the fuel crisis, Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar informed the nation on Friday. He further said that Secretary Petroleum division would also join the same fate by reporting to the establishment Division as soon as his replacement is made. While trying to cover up the issue, Umar said that the direction to the SAPM on Petroleum and the Secretary did not mean that they were involved in the criminal act. This is very unfortunate that the nation had suffered huge financial loss and remained in pain for months due to gas and petroleum crisis during one and half year. Government acted very late despite continuous timely calls by media about the mismanagement of Ministry of energy and Petroleum division. PTI government had made wrong decisions by appointing unsuitable persons to oversee important departments and ministries which resulted in the country’s loss and embarrassment of the government. The appointment of Nadeem Babar as Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Petroleum is a such of those decision. It is just like to depute a cat to guard the milk, ultimately it was to happen. Nadeem Babar oil industry businessman was asked to look after the country’s petroleum needs and Mr. Babar went to look after his personal interests first. However, government is again manipulating the situation by delaying the issue on one or another pretext. According to Asad Umar, FIA has been ordered to carryout forensic investigation which would complete its report within 90 days on which basis the prosecution would be started. He also informed the media that the final recommendations prepared by the Cabinet Committee would not be made public through media. If government is serious in taking any action against the defaulters, it must freeze all records of concerned departments. The available informations suggest, that Petroleum division undertook whole episode to provide financial benefit to private oil companies, which resulted in billions of rupees loss to national exchequer through this mismanagement. However, PTI government must review the performance of its services providing institutions producing unsatisfactory results in the larger interest of the country and push away all such moles from lucrative seats.
