Senate Committee on Rules of Procedures and Privileges on Wednesday asked the bureaucracy to respect the elected representatives of the people and to accord priority to their complaints, as and when they visit various ministries and government offices in connection with redressal of public grievances.
The committee met at the Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Colonel Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi (Retd) to consider the Privilege Motion moved by Senator Liaquat Ali Bangulzai against the Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs during the sitting of the House on 23 December,2008.
The members of the Committee held the view that by and large there are complaints regarding highhandedness of superior bureaucracy. "The mindset and attitude must change", it added. Public servants must learn to serve the people and their elected representatives, the committee said.
Earlier, the Mover, Senator Liaquat Ali Bangulzai explained that he made a number of telephone calls to the Secretary, Religious Affairs, who did not even consider it appropriate to return these calls. The calls, the said, were made in the public interest in connection with the issue of non-issuance of passport to large number of Hajis from Balochistan province who were languishing in Haji Camps in - 9 Celsius temperature. He further added that gross mismanagement was witnessed during Haj operations and a large number of people from his province could not perform Haj. He said that if the Secretary was unwell, he could have easily assigned the task to some Additional Secretary or Joint Secretary to look into matters brought in by senators.
The Secretary, Religious Affairs Malik Najeebullah informed the Senate body that he took over as Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs on September 09, 2008 when the Haj deadline was very close and a lot of work had to be done in operationalising the arrangements.
He said that he was a chronic patient of bronchial asthma and suffered a major attack on October 28, 2008. He was given treatment which badly affected his throat and he was almost unable to speak for a couple of days. However, he continued to attend office even in those circumstances. Due to his medical condition and extreme pressure of work, he might not have been able to respond to the honourable Senator's phone calls promptly. But it was inadvertent and not deliberate, he submitted.
The Chairman and members of the Committee said that Haj arrangements left a lot to be desired this year and the ministry must try to plug the holes for the next year. He appreciated the grace and large heartedness shown by Senator Liaquat Bangulzai in not pressing the matter and accepting the apology tendered by the Secretary, Religious Affairs.
Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi said there should not be the slightest doubt in any one's mind that Parliament is supreme and so are its Committees. Senator Saadia Abbasi had drawn the attention of the chairman towards reports regarding increase in NAB's budget. She said that an assurance was given to us on floor of the House that the organisation would be wounded up and its operations closed. However, what we are witnessing is contrary to the assurance given to us.
The meeting was attended among others, by Senators Wasim Sajjad, Naeem Hussain Chattha, Saadia Abbasi and Dr Muhammad Ismail Buledi. The Mover, Senator Liaquat Ali Bangulzal Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Secretary Senate Raja Muhammad Amin also attended the meeting.
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