'Parliament and Senate committees are supreme'

The members of Senate standing committee on rules of procedure and privileges observed that Parliament and its committees are supreme and all organisations and departments are answerable to it. The standing committee in its meeting here on Saturday at Parliament House, with Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, in the chair, stated that the committees are not only to ensure transparency but also provide a system of checks and balances.
The committee took serious note of the malpractices in Mansehra Development Authority and asked the NWFP government to investigate the irregularities in allotment of plots in MDA.
The members of the committee strongly deplored the reluctance of MDA high-ups for not providing the relevant record, and observed that such casual attitude on behalf of senior management of MDA clearly showed that something is wrong at the bottom. The committee asked the provincial government to conduct a thorough probe into irregularities in the allotment of plots, and fix responsibility.
The committee held further discussion on the privilege motion moved by Senator Muhammad Azam Swati on the alleged irresponsible behaviour of MDA Managing Director for not providing the record to the Senate functional committee on problems of less developed areas.
The committee took strong notice of the reports that the Authority had encroached upon a graveyard and a park and had turned these places into residential area. The committee also gave ample opportunity to the Managing Director of the MDA to explain his position on the issue.
The MD apologised for the delay in providing the allotment record. He said that due to non-computerisation, the allotment record could not be made available in time. Efforts were being made to complete it manually, he added. The committee accepted the apology of the MD. However, it referred the matter to the provincial government to conduct a thorough inquiry into the alleged irregularities, corruption and mismanagement in the MDA with a view to ensure transparency and fix the responsibility.