Disposal of gifts in Toshakhana: ‘Funds must be utilised for female primary education’

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, on Thursday, recommended that the funds released by the disposal of gifts in the Toshakhana shall be utilised for female primary education in the most backward areas of the country.

The committee met with Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmed in the chair at the Parliament House on Thursday.

While discussing “The Toshakhana (Management) and Regulation) Bill, 2022”,it was argued that the existing and future gifts to be received by Toshakhana shall be disposed of through open auction and the proceeds of such auction should be kept in a separate account and shall be utilised for promotion of female education. Senator Taj Muhammad proposed this amendment.

The committee recommended that the federal consolidated funds are distributed according to the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award formula because of which provinces such as Balochistan and Sindh receives lesser funds; therefore, a separate account may be run on need-based criteria to facilitate the provinces.

The Chairman Committee, Senator Ahmed said that three comparative bills on the “The Toshakhana (Management and Regulation) Bill, 2022” have been moved by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, and an amendment proposed by Senator Taj Haider should be clubbed.

He said that a draft Toshakhana Management Regulation Bill has been prepared by an inter-ministerial committee constituted by the prime minister which has been duly approved by the Cabinet and it is waiting for further vetting by the Law and Justice Division.

The committee chairman deferred the matter with the directions to the cabinet that the draft may be shared with the committee within a day so that it can be vetted in detail and incorporated in a single bill on the Toshakhana Regulations in the next meeting.

The objectives of the two bills on the Toshakhana Management and Regulation moved by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi and Senator Mushtaq Ahmed to ensure transparency and minimise involvement of public office holders and the general public will purchase gifts through public auction while the other proposes to establish a body corporate providing certain limitations to retail foreign hospitality by the political, judicial, and bureaucratic officials detrimental to the national interest of Pakistan.

The committee deferred the agenda items on the resolution moved by Senator Danesh Kumar and Senator Gurdeep Singh and starred question by Senator Danesh Kumar and directed the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to submit a detailed report on the additional questions asked by Senator Danesh Kumar.

The chairman committee directed that a report may also be submitted on the bifurcation of the five per cent minority quota to which the special secretary apprised the committee that the distribution is done on a population basis. However, he said that it is a policy matter which is outside the mandate of the ministry.

He said that wrong policies should be reformed and if required enactment should take place. He sought details on the policy by the cabinet through which equal distribution of the reserved five percent job quota for minorities among all the provinces, so that the minorities of each province get duly represented in government services.

Earlier in the meeting, the bill titled “the Civil Servant Amendment Bill, 2023” introduced by Senator Muzafar Hussain Shah, Senator Hidayat Ullah, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, and Senator Dilawar Khan was disposed of.

It was concluded that the employees of the Senate Secretariat cannot be termed as civil servants as the Senate Secretariat is an autonomous body with an entirely different process of induction and such a transformation of the induction process cannot be included by the FPSC in terms of civil servants.

While disposing of the bill it was also debated that the culture of expansion and creation of fresh seats to accommodate favourites should be curbed.

Senator Hidayatullah said that the creation of political based influential seats may also be abolished. He regretted the fact that all the PIA workers are inducted through deputation and no one is from the field.

Similarly, the chairman committee recommended relevant qualification for the tribunals. Senator Saadia Abbassi said that the tribunals have become the parking lots and selectees have no competence which leads to the pendency of cases.

The chairman committee directed the Ministry of Law to make a mechanism through which it assesses the ability of the employees and stepped up the disposal of cases.

While discussing the working and performance of the Islamabad Club, the committee chairman directed the administration to revise its preliminary charges, room rent, and membership fee. It was also directed to demonstrate proper dress code and discipline by the members and their extended families.

It was also directed that the parliamentary membership may also be reversed to the two years evaluation on conduct and performance. It was briefed that the administration is run by an administrator not lower than the grade of 21 through an incumbent administration and management committee.

The committee was attended by senators, Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Khalida Ateeb, MoulaBux Chandio, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Saadia Abbasi, Muhammad Akram, Hidayay Ullah, Danesh Kumar, Gurdeep Singh, Barahmand Khan Tangi, and Taj Haider.

Special Secretary Establishment, Secretary FPSC, and officials from the Cabinet Division, Islamabad Club, and other attached departments were also in attendance.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023