Latest news with #Hameed
Business Recorder
26-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
New member on Board of Directors of SNGPL: Summary sent to PM for appointment of Arif Hameed
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division) has moved a summary to the prime minister for the appointment of Muhammad Arif Hameed, former MD, as a new member to the Board of Directors of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), sources said. Arif Hameed served as a regular employee of the SNGPL until September 24, 2011, holding the position of senior general manager. He was appointed managing director SNGPL and continued in that role beyond his initial term through multiple extensions until September 2015. On September 2, 2015, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources moved a summary to the prime minister for Hameed's removal. The prime minister approved the summary and on September 5, 2015, Hameed was officially removed from his position. During his time as MD, the company witnessed unprecedented increase in Unaccounted for Gas (UFG) gas lost in the pipeline system which far exceeded the limits prescribed by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA). This trend of rising UFG directly translated into financial losses for the company and reflected poorly on his administrative control. Despite repeated warnings and oversight by the OGRA, no effective strategy was implemented to curb this growing problem, which continues to burden SNGPL's financial health. Another major point of concern was Hameed's alleged resistance to the government's fast track LNG-based energy projects. At a time when the country was facing an energy crisis, Hameed was accused of deliberately stalling progress, despite clear directions from the then petroleum minister and the ministry. Hameed challenged this decision before the Lahore High Court (LHC) through writ petition No 26232/2015, he later withdrew the case after tendering his resignation. After retirement, Hameed ventured into the petroleum business, opening a filling station in Gulberg, Lahore under the name U&S Gulberg Filling Station. In January and February 2021, the filling station was found guilty of short-measuring customers, a violation confirmed by OGRA in its January 29, 2025 order. Hameed was also allegedly involved in appointment and promotion of a SNGPL secretary. An inquiry conducted on DP No 76 MFDAC 2017-18 concluded that the secretary received multiple out-of-turn promotions and salary increments totalling Rs 6.292 million in violation of company policy. The report found no tangible justification for bypassing well-defined appointment procedures and held Arif Hameed, then Senior GM HR Liaquat Raza and HRC Chairman Mirza Mahmood Ahmad responsible for misusing their authority to benefit the secretary. The Ministry of Energy has now included Hameed's name in a summary sent to the prime minister for the appointment of new directors to the SNGPL Board. Also nominated are Muhammad Ahmad Qayyum, reportedly a close relative of the current petroleum minister. The correspondent sent questions to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy (Petroleum Division), but no response was received by the time the story was filed. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The Hindu
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Alfresco dining in Coimbatore: With kebabs, cocktails and biryani at Afghan Grill
A cool breeze washes over my face as I settle for an alfresco dining experience by the pool at the spanking new Afghan Grill at The Residency Towers. 'We have added dim lighting with table lamps to make it cosy while ample greenery around gives a relaxed vibe,' says S Amarnath, general manager as plates of Subz Ashra Kebab (mixed sprouts patties, stuffed with roasted pappad, plums and cheese, grilled on tawa) and Parat Daar Paneer (paneer stuffed with blanched spinach and cheese) appear on the table. While the patties are tangy, the paneer, flavoured with Indian spices, is delicious. Chef Hameed Khan from Odisha is happy with my feedback and starts talking as I bite into his signature dish, Singhara Murgh Pasanda. The chicken breast stuffed with blanched singhara (water chestnuts) has a nice crunch to it and goes well with the chutney made from smoked pineapple that packs a punch. There are also beetroot and mint chutneys to choose from. 'We source spices like pan ki jadd (betel root used in biryani preparations) kababa cheeni (black pepper) dried pomegranate seeds, pathar ka phool (black stone flower) and dried rose petals, khus ki jadd (vetiver roots) from Delhi. We use 50 to 60 ingredients in our masalas. We make chicken gravy using chicken stock to keep the flavours intact. So is the case with mutton, fish and vegetable gravies,' says Hameed Sujith Kumar, food and beverages manager, joins the conversation and draws attention to quality ingredients that add an edge to their dishes. 'All masalas are hand-pound. Meat is marinated fresh everyday in the afternoon right in time for dinner. For cocktails, we make the syrups in-house or source them locally.' Their signature cocktail, Pollachi elaneer is a case in point. Made with white rum, tender coconut water and tender coconut pulp, gulkand and grenadine, it makes me heady and happy in equal measure. For raan kebab, believed to prepared by one of the last royal cooks of Rampur, chef Hameed uses as many as 28 types of ingredients. While there are varieties of Amritsari kulchas and naans to choose from, the Chukandari Lasooni naan stands out with a dash of pink from beetroot paste. 'For mixed vegetable stuffing, we go for roasted peanut and broccoli, zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, and baby corn,' says Hameed as he serves a colourfully-plated Jahangir Murgh Badami shorba, an indulgent, creamy, chicken soup sprinkled with chopped almonds. The Gosht Lucknowi Galouti Kebab with saffron-flavoured sheermal bread, the Awadhi preparation of minced lamb with secret spices, melts in the mouth with a crunch of bread crust. For an elevated experience, dip it in smoky beetroot or carrot sauce. Our amuse-bouche dish for the day, tandoori broccoli tikki served with mango charcoal sauce, is crumbly and soft. At an upcoming Kebab and Biryani food festival from May 9 to May 18, chef Hameed will dole out varieties of biryani including the Lucknowi style using mutton kofta, makhna and kaffir lime varieties in vegetarian and a range of grilled kebabs. 'Our marinations are unique. For example, for Harissa Machi Kebab, we make an in-house harissa paste,' explains Hameed as I am eyeing the Rampuri tandoor fish. And the speciality of this dish is a hint of Asian flavours in the form of galangal and lemon grass powder. The stand-out dish of the evening is the chef's special butter chicken biryani served with burani raita. Infused with flavours of butter chicken this biryani is every foodie's delight. I follow it up with an indulgent paan gulkand ice cream, made in-house with fresh cream, rose petals, and gulkand. A perfect Indian treat to round off my dinner. Open for dinner from 7pm. A meal for two with two starters, two mains and two desserts costs approximately ₹ 3500 plus taxes. For reservations, call 9787777770 / 0422-2263100
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
The Hindu Classroom project launched
Crediting The Hindu for playing a key role in his personal and professional growth, Kottayam District Police Chief Shahul Hameed has urged the younger generation to cultivate a lifelong passion for learning and staying informed. 'In my formative years, it was by reading The Hindu that I became aware of what was happening, not just in our immediate surroundings, but across the country and the world,' Mr. Hameed said while inaugurating The Hindu Classroom project in Kottayam on Thursday. 'This publication introduced me to important global concepts like climate change long before they became part of mainstream discussion.' The initiative, launched in association with Kurian Abraham Private Limited, aims to enhance the general awareness and language skills of students through daily exposure to quality journalism. Suresh Kumar Pillai, general manager and Kerala head - S&D, The Hindu, presided over the event held at MD Seminary School at Kottayam. Honey G. Alexander, Deputy Director of Education, Kottayam, and Amritha Mary Abraham, vice-president of Kurian Abraham Private Limited, offered felicitations. Jacob John, Principal of MD Seminary Higher Secondary School, Kottayam, welcomed the gathering. Dhanesh P. John, Headteacher of the school, proposed a vote of thanks.
The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
DK Congress issues show cause notices to Shahul Hameed, K. Ashraf
The Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee (DKDCC) on Saturday, May 31, issued notices to its minority wing president K.K. Shahul Hameed and former Mangaluru Mayor K. Ashraf to show cause why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them for painting the party in bad light. In separate notices to the two leaders, DKDCC General Secretary Vikas Shetty said their reported move to tender resignations to party positions in protest against the alleged inaction of the State government on Abdul Rahiman murder case has caused embarrassment to Congress even at the National level. Being senior leaders of the party, it was their responsibility to convince community members about the steps being taken by the Congress and the State government to ensure justice to the victims and safety to all. In the notice to Mr. Hameed, the DCC said MLCs Manjunatha Bhandary and Ivan D'Souza had contacted Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, Chief Minister's Political Secretary Nazeer Ahmed and senior leader B.K. Hariprasad to air the grievances of Muslim community members in Dakshina Kannada. Despite the senior Party leaders assuring Mr. Hameed to take all necessary action and asking him not to proceed with holding any meeting or tendering resignation, the latter went ahead with them. Mr. Ashraf was told that he had issued statements asking community members not to meet the district in charge Minister during his visit to Dakshina Kannada and also had spoken low of the Minister. Besides being a responsible representative of the government, the Minister was also a senior leader of the party, the notice said. The statements and actions of both the leaders were against the party discipline, Mr. Shetty said asking them to respond to the notices within seven days.
Scroll.in
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Karnataka: Several Muslim Congress leaders quit posts, cite failure to curb communal violence
Several Muslim leaders from the Karnataka Congress resigned from their posts on Thursday to protest the alleged failure of the state government to contain communal violence in the Dakshina Kannada district, The Indian Express reported. Those who resigned included Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary MS Mohammed and Dakshina Kannada District Minority Wing chief KK Shahul Hameed. The resignations came in the wake of the murder of a man named Abdul Rahim in Bantwal near Mangaluru on Tuesday. Rahim's friend and co-worker was also injured in the incident. On Thursday, the party leaders announced their resignations at an emergency meeting convened in Mangaluru's Bolara area, The Hindu reported. While the leaders had initially discussed waiting a few days for the response of the state government, party workers forced them to announce their resignations. During the meeting, Hameed told party workers that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had urged the community leaders not to take any hasty decisions, adding that the matter had reached the party high command. However, the workers demanded that the leaders tender their resignation. The leaders, including several district and booth-level workers, then decided to quit. Hameed told party workers the Congress government in Karnataka had failed to rein in the Bharatiya Janata Party and Sangh Parivar's 'harassment' of Muslims even after the minority community had stood with the party during times of trouble, The Indian Express reported. 'Even our mothers, wives and children are asking why we are with the Congress when they cannot protect Muslims,' The Indian Express quoted the Congress leader as having said before announcing his resignation. The region has seen three murders over the past few weeks. On April 27, a 36-year-old man from Kerala named Ashraf was lynched in Mangaluru after he allegedly shouted pro-Pakistan slogans during a cricket match. On May 11, a Hindutva activist named Suhas Shetty was murdered. Eleven persons were arrested for the killing, The Indian Express reported. Shetty, who had five cases against him, was a prime accused in the murder of a person named Mohammed Fazil in Surathkal in July 2022. In Tuesday's incident, Rahim was killed while unloading sand near a customer's house, according to the newspaper. His friend and co-worker, Kalandar Shafi, was severely injured in the attack. On Thursday, the police said that three men, 21-year-old Deepak Poojary, 21-year-old Prithviraj and 19-year-old Chiranthan, had been arrested for Rahim's murder, The Indian Express reported. The reason for the killing was yet to ascertained.
