The federal government has officially appointed Shahzad Iqbal as the new Member (Gas) of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). This key appointment is set for a three-year period on a contract basis.
Details of the Official Appointment
The Establishment Division issued a formal notification confirming the appointment. It states that Mr. Shahzad Iqbal has been appointed to the position of Member (Gas) in MP-I Scale-Median. The appointment is made under Section 3(8)(b) of the OGRA Ordinance, 2002, and is effective from the date he assumes his duties. This move is part of the standard procedure where the federal government appoints the chairman and members of OGRA through a competitive process for a fixed tenure.
Iqbal's Extensive Sector Experience
According to a statement released by OGRA, Shahzad Iqbal brings a wealth of knowledge to the role, with 35 years of extensive regulatory and sectoral experience in Pakistan's oil and gas industry. Prior to this elevation, he held senior leadership positions within OGRA itself.
His previous responsibilities involved handling complex regulatory areas, including:
- Gas transmission and distribution systems
- Tariff determinations and pricing mechanisms
- Managing Unaccounted-for-Gas (UFG) challenges
- Consumer protection initiatives
- Coordination with gas utilities and other key stakeholders
Strengthening Regulation in Challenging Times
OGRA highlighted that Iqbal's appointment is expected to significantly bolster the authority's regulatory oversight of the gas sector. This comes at a critical juncture for the industry, which is navigating pressing challenges such as supply management, improving infrastructure efficiency, ensuring pricing transparency, and rebuilding consumer confidence.
The authority reiterated its commitment to ensuring transparent, fair, and effective regulation of Pakistan's oil and gas sector for the public interest. It expressed confidence that Mr. Iqbal's expertise will greatly contribute to advancing these core objectives.
OGRA's top leadership consists of a chairman and three members covering Gas, Finance, and Oil. As per the rules, members can serve a maximum of two terms, with retirement mandated upon reaching 65 years of age.
