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Islamabad: Acting DGPC Imran Ahmed faces an official inquiry after officials from the Directorate General (Oil), Policy Wing—under his leadership—allegedly gave incorrect information about outstanding dues of Cnergyico Pakistan Limited.
Sources familiar with the development said the inquiry began after contradictory statements surfaced regarding Cnergyico Pakistan Limited, one of the country’s leading oil refining and marketing companies. During an internal briefing at the Secretary Petroleum’s Office, DG (Oil) officials stated that no dues were pending against the company. But in a later presentation at the Prime Minister’s Office, the same officials claimed Rs 5 billion were outstanding.
This contradiction embarrassed the Petroleum Division in front of senior government officials. The Secretary Petroleum ordered an immediate inquiry to determine how the misinformation occurred, who was responsible, and whether the misstatement was intentional or due to negligence.
The incident raised questions about administrative oversight and performance within one of the most critical regulatory wings of the Petroleum Division, sources said.
According to an official memorandum issued by the Petroleum Division, the inquiry committee includes Khalil Ahmed, Joint Secretary (A&CA), and Syed Muhammad Ahsen, Director (Admin), Policy Wing. The two-member committee must complete its investigation and submit a report within three days. Assistant Director (Admin) Yasir Farooq signed the memorandum and circulated it to all relevant senior officials, including the Additional Secretaries (Policy and Admin) and the Director General (Oil), for immediate compliance.
This isn’t the first time Acting DGPC Imran Ahmed’s tenure in the Petroleum Division has come under scrutiny. He was previously removed from the position of DGPC in early 2020 after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) launched an inquiry against him over an alleged $50 million scam. The case involved a deliberate delay in injecting 30 Million Cubic Feet per Day (MMCFD) of gas into the national transmission system. That delay forced the government to import expensive LNG at around $10 per MMBTU to meet demand, compared to locally produced gas costing roughly $4 per MMBTU, causing a massive financial loss to the exchequer.
Industry sources told this correspondent that the DGPC office under the current Acting DGPC has performed poorly. The country’s recent petroleum licensing round, launched with high expectations, failed to attract investors. Bids came in for only one out of 23 exploration blocks on offer.
“The entire E&P sector is frustrated due to the lack of proactive engagement from the DGPC’s office,” said a seasoned industry source. He added that the previous DGPC, Kashif Ali, had been “highly professional and instrumental” in building investor confidence, especially in offshore exploration initiatives.
Another industry source alleged that under Imran Ahmed’s leadership as Acting DGPC, the office has become “practically non-functional.” Delays in administrative approvals and stalled exploration activities have damaged investor sentiment. “This level of inefficiency at the regulator’s office reflects poorly on Pakistan’s investment climate,” the source said.
Meanwhile, sources within the Petroleum Division said the inquiry into the DG (Oil) misstatement forms part of a broader effort by the Secretary Petroleum to enforce accountability and restore credibility. However, the Division has not yet issued any official clarification on whether the misstatement regarding Cnergyico’s dues was a clerical lapse or a deliberate attempt to mislead senior authorities.
The outcome of the ongoing inquiry will determine whether further disciplinary action is taken against the concerned officials, including Acting DGPC Imran Ahmed.
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