ISLAMABAD: The government has sacked the chairman and an independent member of the board of directors (BoD) of a state-owned entity executing $15 billion gas pipeline projects after they raised questions of economic feasibility, transparency and record tampering.

Informed sources told Dawn that Chairman Nawabzada Shahzad A. Khan and member Zubair Motiwala were unceremoniously removed by the ministry of petroleum from the nine-member board of the Interstate Gas Systems (Pvt) Ltd (ISGS) a day after they put on record in writing what they described as the fudging of proceedings and decisions of the board meetings regarding critical pipeline projects and budgets.

The size of the board was reduced through a notification to seven comprising officials of the ministry and its subordinate companies.

When asked if the two gentlemen were removed for raising questions over transparency and fudging of record of the board meetings, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said: “Not that I know of.”