Ministry of Commerce is reportedly facing some serious difficulties in terms of decision-making and absence of new pro-export initiatives as both the Minister of State for Commerce, Engineer Khurram Dastgir and Secretary Commerce, Qasim Niaz are said to have restricted themselves to routine matters. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has not appointed a full-time Minister for Ministry of Commerce and Textile Industry and given additional charge to the Minister of State for Privatisation.
"We are witnessing a status quo-like situation. No initiative is being taken with regard to enhancing export or improvement in trade relations with other countries. Decision-making is very slow. The minister of state is not showing any interest in major decision making. Likewise, the secretary is also showing typical behaviour of typical bureaucrat. Routine files are moving at a woefully slow pace have been stuck up with remarks 'Please speak'," said one of the disappointed officers on the condition of anonymity. The Commerce Ministry officers now fondly remember former Secretaries of Commerce like Zafar Mehmood and Munir Qureshi as during their tenures a lot of activities remained in progress.
Another official told Business Recorder that only one section ie. Trade Policy Wing headed by a Director General was apparently working on exports enhancement plan under the leadership of Minister for Planning and Development, Ehsan Iqbal. The Commerce Ministry is silent on new Trade Policy initiatives as no directives have been issued by the Prime Minister so far. Another official said that the appointment of acting heads of the most important attached organisations/ departments had reunited the entire system. The key attached organisations ie Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) are headed by demoted officers.
For instance, Rabiya Javeri Agha, Secretary TDAP, has been demoted to BPS 20 from BPS 21 in the light of the Supreme Court of Pakistan's decision and now she is ruling BPS 20 officers of TDAP. The Commerce Ministry has not appointed any competent officer of BPS 21 as Secretary TDAP so far. This situation has created chaos in the organisation and the officers of same grade are hesitant to work under incumbent Secretary.
The Commerce Ministry has already constituted a three-member committee to investigate into billions of rupees financial embezzlements in TDAP in release of subsidy to the exporters. Chairman Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), Rizwan Ahmad is also a demoted officer but he is still heading the organisation at a time when the massive activities of fertiliser import and sugar procurement are in progress. The TCP's senior management has recently been quizzed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for procurement of fertiliser in violation of the PPRA Rules. Some members of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) have also alleged that the demoted Chairman TCP is using pressure tactics against the directors to block their payments. He was not available for comments. The affairs of State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) are also miserable. The organisation, which used to be dubbed as "golden egg", is being headed by a demoted officer in absence of permanent chairman.
Some insiders claim that it appears that some unwanted actions are being to weaken the position of the financially strong organisation so that it could be sold in peanuts.
An official said the profit of SLIC had declined by 10-20 per cent in the last quarter, adding that if this trend continued, the organisation would show loss next year. He was of the view that the head of Finance Division had been transferred to Administration and the official, who was heading the marketing department, had been sent to Admin section. He said that the financial scam of National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) was not being pursued properly as Rs 420 million were yet to be recovered from the accused.
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