NTDC MD, NPCC GM suspended

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday suspended Managing Director National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) Tahir Mahmood and General Manager of National Power Control Centre (NPCC) Mohammad Saleem over the massive nationwide power blackout last week.

On Jan 24, the entire country plunged into darkness after Baloch insurgents destroyed Uch-Sibi transmission line. The sources accused the two officials of failing to take timely steps to switch off other connecting points to limit or isolate the impact to this point.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was reportedly furious at the Ministry of Water and Power for the fourth blackout in a few months which earned him a considerable embarrassment.

In a recent press conference, Khawaja Asif requested media to pray for him, indicating that he is under pressure.

Officials in the Ministry of Water and Power argued that the system could have been revived two hours earlier had the NTDC been able to provide 10MW for the start-up of its Bin Qasim plant which could have helped Hubco to restart. They further argued that when machines are off for a long time they require time to revive.

"NTDC and NPCC claimed credit for better management during a previous blackout when they switched off the connecting points in a timely fashion which saved the entire transmission from a collapse. Where were these officials on January 24?" questioned an official.

The ministry had appointed Managing Director of National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak) Amjad A. Khan as inquiry officer who in his preliminary findings confirmed that both the MD NTDC and General Manager NPCC are responsible for the breakdown.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Water and Power told Business Recorder that both the top officials have been suspended by the Prime Minister.

When contacted the suspended Managing Director NTDC said he had received no official word with regard to his suspension.