Pakistan Refinery appoints Aftab Husain as interim chairman

Pakistan Refinery Limited has appointed Aftab Husain as interim chairman of its board with immediate effect, following the resignation of Tariq Kirmani as chairman and director on health grounds.

The listed refinery disclosed the appointment in a filing to the Pakistan Stock Exchange on Thursday, saying its board had approved the move by circular resolution dated October 14, 2026. The notice did not state how long the interim arrangement would last or when a permanent chairman would be named.

According to information published on PRL's website, Husain served as the company's managing director and chief executive from 2011 to 2019. He is currently a member of the boards of PRL and the Petroleum Institute of Pakistan, and has previously served on the boards of PARCO and Pak Gease Manufacturing Company Limited.

PRL describes Husain as a chemical engineer and an MPA from IBA Karachi, with more than 45 years in oil refining, including leadership of operations, technical and commercial functions at the company. It says he has worked with committees and working groups on oil pricing mechanisms, deregulation and refinery issues, and contributed to the formulation of the Refining Policy 2023 with the Ministry of Energy's Petroleum Division.

The change at the top of PRL's board comes as Pakistan's refining sector continues to operate under the policy framework set out in 2023, which governs pricing and upgrade incentives for domestic refineries.