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Islamabad: Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur chaired the meeting of the Senate Functional Committee on Devolution at the Parliament House, addressing issues of accountability and devolution under the Council of Common Interest (CCI).
According to Senate of Pakistan, the Committee criticized CCI officials for their reply stating that the CCI, being a constitutional forum, is answerable to Parliament but not to its Special or Functional Committees. Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro asserted that under Article 153 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the CCI is answerable to Parliament, and its committees are an extension of the House. He emphasized that the CCI is responsible for governing institutions such as PMDC, Railways, and WAPDA, which fall under the Federal Legislative List Part II after the 18th Amendment. He highlighted that the core responsibilities of the CCI are being managed by the Federal Cabinet instead. The Committee directed the CCI to submit annual reports of previous years and stressed that the CCI should fulfill its constitutional responsibilities.
The Committee was also briefed on the role and function of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research. Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur stated that food and agriculture are devolved subjects and should be managed accordingly as per the 18th Amendment. She pointed out that the Ministry has failed to protect local fruit production, leading to the depletion of indigenous fruit and the planting of foreign tree species that are unsuitable for the national ecosystem and causing health issues in Islamabad. The Committee decided to request a detailed briefing on the seventeen attached departments of the ministry.
The meeting was attended by Senator Poonjo Bheel, Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Senator Fawzia Arshad, Additional Secretary for Ministry of National Food Security and Research Ayesha Khalid, and other senior officials from the ministry and the Council of Common Interest.
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