ISLAMABAD: The government has launched an inquiry against Petroleum Division officials over contradictory statements made to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the division itself regarding outstanding dues owed by Cnergyico PK Limited (CPL), which led to serious embarrassment at the highest level.
According to official sources, Secretary Petroleum Momin Agha has constituted a two-member inquiry committee comprising Joint Secretary Khalil Ahmed and Director Policy Wing Syed Ahsen to investigate the matter. The inquiry will determine responsibility for the inaccurate information provided by officials of the Directorate General of Oil (DG Oil).
An official memorandum, reviewed by Dawn, revealed that during a preparatory meeting for a briefing to the prime minister, officials stated that no outstanding amount was pending against CPL. However, during the actual presentation at the PMO, DG Oil officials claimed that Rs5 billion remained unpaid by the company — a contradiction that reportedly caused “embarrassment” to the Petroleum Division.
The memorandum noted that the inquiry aims to identify those responsible for the misinformation and recommend appropriate disciplinary action.
It may be recalled that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), in its meeting on August 26, approved a summary from the Petroleum Division concerning the recovery of approximately Rs47.5 billion in petroleum levy dues defaulted by CPL since 2019. With late payment surcharges, the total amount had swelled to around Rs60 billion.
The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) had earlier mediated a settlement framework to facilitate CPL’s repayment of dues owed to the government. Following SIFC’s recommendations, the ECC endorsed the framework, allowing recovery of the principal amount audited to date and authorizing the Petroleum Division to sign a deed of settlement with the company.
The ECC further directed that the “entire outstanding petroleum levy amount be recovered strictly as per the settlement terms.”
Story by Khaleeq Kiani
