Provincial services: government decides not to reserve 1pc quota for ICT residents

The government has decided not to reserve one percent quota for the residents of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) in provinces, official sources told Business Record.
Giving background of the issue sources said that the proposal for reservation of quota for residents of ICT in provinces was floated by Shireen Arshad Khan, member National Assembly of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz through Provincial Services Bill 2011, which she submitted in the National Assembly as private member bill. Speaker National Assembly admitted the bill for introduction in the House.
The Bill aims at reservation of one percent seats in the Provincial Services for persons domiciled in the ICT for the reasons that presently they stand deprived of their right to apply and compete for the provincial services.
The sources said that the federal cabinet in its meeting on January 11, 2012 had directed that views of Interior Ministry should be sought and a focus should be kept on constitutional provisions relating to the rights of other provinces.
The matter was taken up with the Interior Ministry, which also supported the viewpoint of the Establishment Division.
According to sources, the draft Bill was examined by the Establishment Division in the light of the constitutional provisions, Civil Servant Act 1973 and Civil Servant (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules 1973 and was of the view that the Bill should be opposed. Ministry of Law earlier endorsed the proposal and now Interior Division has also endorsed the viewpoint of the Establishment Division.
The sources said that when the matter was placed before the cabinet on June 26, 2012 along with the views of concerned Ministry, Prime Minister approved the viewpoints of concerned Ministries and decided to oppose the Bill in the House, which implies that residents of ICT will not given the right to compete in provincial public service commissions.