ISLAMABAD – Despite the opposition of all the provinces and World Bank (WB), the federal government has placed Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and three other regulators under the command of ministries.
Cabinet Division issued a notification regarding these amendments after formal approval of the Prime Minister.
The notification stated that NEPRA has been brought under the administrative control of Water & Power Division. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has been placed under the administrative control of Information Technology and Telecom Division. Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) will resume its functions under the administrative control of Information Technology and Telecom Division.
The prime minister has transferred administrative control of OGRA from Cabinet Division to Petroleum & Natural Resources Division. Similarly, Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) would now be functional under administrative control of Finance Division.
The government amended Rules of Business, 1973 in order to place the said regulators under the ministries.
All provinces and World Bank have opposed this decision. Going one step forward, World Bank had warned the government of halting loans if any such decision was made.
It has also been learnt that legal departments of NEPRA, OGRA and PTA have declared federal government’s decision against the law. Both departments of power sector have opposed this decision of federal government.
Continuous changes in decisions by the federal government and NEPRA in annual power tariff including solar and coal tariff, Nandipur power project and LNG’s projects are reason behind these amendments.
