ISLAMABAD: Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges took strong notice of the breach of privilege of the House by the Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, and asked the secretary to withdraw the show cause notices issued to 26 doctors in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Polyclinic and the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (NIRM) within 48 hours. The committee met with Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq in the chair at the Parliament House on Thursday.
The committee discussed the privilege motion moved by senators, Hidayat Ullah and Muhammad Usman Khan Kakar against the secretary of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination, who neglected the ruling of the chairman Senate.
The committee also discussed the privilege motion moved by Senator Mushahidullah Khan regarding the baseless allegation of dues of Rs2.7 million against him on account of his stay in the Punjab House, Islamabad.
The chairman Senate gave a ruling on 20th July restricting the ministry from taking any action on the case of these doctors, till the time, the issue is taken up in the Standing Committee. However, on 22nd July, the ministry issued show cause notices to these doctors who have been working in the PIMS after they came from provinces on deputation and were absorbed in the federal government hospitals under the five percent quota.
The committee members observed that the rulings of the chairman Senate or that of the speaker National Assembly serve as precedents, and are followed as conventions in the parliamentary practices, and flouting them is taken as an offence.
It remarked that this is a clear case of violation and even defiance of the Parliamentary oversight, which is a core responsibility of legislature and has to be respected. The committee expressed respect for the unconditional apology expressed by the secretary National Health Services and Regulations but also observed that the ruling has to be implemented in letter and spirit. The committee refrained from discussing the merits of the case as it was beyond its ambit; however, the issue is on the agenda of the next meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, where the merits of the case will come under discussion.
The committee also discussed the privilege motion moved by Senator Mushahidullah Khan regarding baseless allegation of dues of Rs270,000 against him on account of his stay in the Punjab House, Islamabad.
The committee took strong exception to not adhering to its recommendations and not calling a meeting of the audit committee to look into the inquiry, and asked to make sure that the meeting is called before the next meeting of Committee of Rules of Procedure and Privileges.
Senators Mian Raza Rabbani, Muhammad Ali Khan Saif, Dilawar Khan, Usman Khan Kakar, Hidayatullah, Pervaiz Rasheed, and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, and others participated in the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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