The government has yet to appoint heads of some critical autonomous, semi-autonomous bodies and other constitutional posts including the heads of regulatory bodies National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) and Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP).
An official of the Establishment Division said an independent federal commission for selection of heads of public sector organisations has been constituted by the government with the task to appoint heads of autonomous bodies and regulatory bodies but it has yet to meet to shortlist potential candidates for various vacant slots.
Apart from regulatory bodies, other government departments which have been under acting charge included Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Television , Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Pakistan Steel Mills Corporation, Election Commission of Pakistan, Wafaqi Mohtasib, Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan, Oil and Gas Company Limited, Pakistan State Oil and Pakistan Cricket Board.
The government has however appointed the heads of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) and Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). According to the Establishment Division most of the institutions are running on 'autopilot' while others are being managed by acting chairmen or heads. The absence of a full time head of DRAP is affecting the registration and licensing of new medicines in the country.
While declaring all appointments made by the caretaker government as illegal in Khawaja Asif case, the SC had ordered in its detailed judgement released on June 12, 2013 that the new government should constitute a three-member commission headed by head of some institutions such as NAB, Federal Tax Ombudsman, Federal Ombudsman, etc, and comprising two top professionals for high-level appointments.
This judgement in fact had stripped new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's of power to make appointments at top positions in corporations, regulatory bodies and other important organisations. The PML-N accepted the decision, however a former cabinet secretary said the commission is not independent in real terms as any recommendation by the prime minister would not be turned down. Former Secretary Abdul Rauf Chaudhry was appointed Federal Tax Ombudsman and later in mid-July made chairman of the commission with the authority to make appointments in corporations. Other members of the commission included Dr Ijaz Nabi, a professor at LUMS and Dr Shams Kassim Lakha.
According to the notification of the Establishment Division, secretary establishment and secretary of the concerned ministry will also be part of the commission. However, it is not clear as to whether these two secretaries will merely assist the commission or will be a formal part of the commission.
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