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Islamabad, May 26, 2023 (PPI-OT): The Senate Cabinet Secretariat Committee on Thursday recommended that the funds released by the disposal of gifts in the Tosha Khana shall be utilised for female primary education in the most backward areas of the country. The amendment was passed by the committee and moved by Senator Taj Haider. It was argued that the existing and future gifts to be received by Tosha Khana shall be disposed of through open auction and the proceeds of such auction should be kept in a separate account and shall be utilised for promotion of female education.
It was debated that the federal consolidated funds distributes according to the NFC formula because of which provinces like Balochistan and Sindh receives lesser funds therefore a separate account may be run on need based criteria to facilitate the provinces. The committee met on Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed here at the Parliament House. The Chairman Committee remaked that three comparative bills on the “The Tosha Khana (Management and Regulation) Bill 2022 have been moved by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed and an amendment proposed by Senator Taj Haider.
It was also informed that a draft Tosha Khana Management Regulation Bill has been prepared by an Inter-ministerial committee constituted by the Prime Minister which has been duly approved by the Cabinet and awaited further vetting by the Law and Justice Division. The Chairman Committee deferred the matter with the directions to the Cabinet that the draft may be shared with the committee within a day so that it can be vetted in detail and incorporated in a single Bill on the Tosha Khana Regulations in the next meeting.
The objectives of the two bills on the Tosha Khan Management and Regulation by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi and Senator Mushtaq Ahmed where one ensures transparency and minimise involvement of public office holders and the general public will purchase gifts through public auction while the other proposes to establish a body corporate providing certain limitations to retail foreign hospitality by the political, judicial and bureaucratic officials detrimental to national interest of Pakistan. The matter was deferred.
The committee deferred the agenda items on Resolution moved by Senator Danesh Kumar and Senator Gurdeep Singh and starred question by Senator Danesh Kumar on the will of the minister in charge of the Establishment Division to state the names of post of which FPSC conducted written test indicating each detail related to number of candidates recommended by the commission for appointmentment.
The committee deferred the matter and directed the FPSC to submit a detailed report on the additional questions asked by Senator Danesh Kumar. The Chairman Commitee also directed that a report may also be submitted on the bifurcation of the 5 pc minority quota to which the special Secretary apprised the committee that the distribution is done on population basis however he said that it a policy matter which is outside the mandate of the ministry.
The chairman committee said that wrong policies should be reformed and that if required enactment should take place. The chairman committee sought details on the policy by the cabinet through which equally distribution of the reserved five percent job quota for minorities among all provinces, so that the minorities of each provinces get duly represented in government services.
Earlier in the meeting, the Bill titled the “The Civil Servant Amendment Bill, 2023 introduced by Senator Muzafar Hussain Shah, Senator Hidayat Ullah, Senator Zeeshan Khan Zada and Senator Dilawar khan was disposed of. It was concluded that the employees of the Senate Secretariat cannot be termed as civil servant as senate secretariat is an autonomous body with an entirely different process of induction and such a transformation of induction process cannot be included by the FPSC in terms of civil servants.
While disposing of the Bill it was also debated that the culture of expansion and creation of fresh seats to accommodate favourites should be curbed. Senator Hidayat ulllah said that creation of political based influential seats may also be abolished k. He regretted the fact that all the PIA workers are inducted through deputation and no one is from the field. Similarly, the chairman committee recommended relevant qualification for the tribunals. Senator Saadia Abbassi said that the Tribunals have become the parking lots and selectees have no competence which leads to pendency of cases.
The chairman committee directed the Ministry of law to make a mechanism through which it accesses the ability of the employees and stepped disposal of cases. The committee sought compliance and report within one months time. The committee also showed reservation on the performance of the cabinet delayed dispatching of the working papers, unpreparedness of the representatives and directed that if such negligence prevails in the future letters will be written to the Prime Minister to take notice and record adverse remarks on the ACRs of the officials.
While discussing the working and performance of the Islamabad Club the chairman committee directed the administration to revise its preliminary charges, room rent and membership fee. It was also directed to demonstrate proper dress code and discipline by the members and their extended families. It was also directed that the parliamentary membership may also be reversed to the 2 years evaluation on conduct and performance. It was briefed that the administration is run by an administrator not lower then the grade of 21 through an incumbent administration and management committee.
The committee was attended by Senators Surfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Khalida Ateeb, Moula Bux Chandio, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Saadia Abbasi, Muhammad Akram, Hidayay Ullah, Danesh Kumar, Gurdeep Singh, Barahmand Khan Tangi, and Senator Taj Haider. Special Secretary Establishment, Secretary FPSC, and officials from the Cabinet Division, Islamabad Club and other attached departments were also in attendance.
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Senate of Pakistan
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