The Federal cabinet has ratified the decision of Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) on dissolution of Engineering Development Board (EDB), well informed sources told Business Recorder . The Cabinet Division, sources said, submitted the decisions of the CCoE taken on May 29 and May 30, 2017 to the federal cabinet meeting on July 13, 2017, which endorsed the CCoE decisions including dissolution of EDB.
In pursuance of rule 17(1) of the Rules of Business 1973, all the decisions taken by the ECC, CCoP and CCoE are to be ratified by the federal cabinet. EDB, an organisation of Ministry of Industries and Production, is under severe criticism due to rampant corruption and incompetence. The incumbent acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) EDB, Mirza Nasir Baig, who has "good" relations with Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, Ahsan Iqbal, was seen visibly disturbed in the National Assembly Standing committee when Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh, Chairman Standing Committee on Finance and PAAPAM levelled corruption charge and demanded an inquiry to probe the charges levelled in the CCoE.
The CCoE chaired by the Prime Minister on May 29, 2017, observed that EDB was not performing any useful function, either in terms of regulation or promotion of engineering enterprises, adding that malpractices had become endemic in the Board, exploitation of business by its staff had become the norm. The Board has become a major impediment to improving the ease of doing business and creating an enabling environment for industrial expansion and economic development, it was argued.
Later on, according to the letter, Prime Minister desired that the Ministry of Industries and Production to immediately initiate a summary for the Prime Minister's order on the modus operandi to be adopted for the expeditious implementation of the decision of the CCoE regarding dissolution of the EDB.
The sources said, the prime minister, in his capacity as Minister in-charge of the Cabinet Division, had seen and authorised submission of the summary to the cabinet.
Insiders claim that the issue of EDB did not come under discussion in the CCoE meeting on May 29, 2017 at all and the decision regarding its dissolution was incorporated in the minutes later on. However, no official confirmation of this aspect of decision was available.
Unconfirmed sources suggest the EDB officials believe there is no chance for the organization's survival after the Prime Minister's decision on its dissolution have started getting deputation letters from other public sector organisations. Senior officials of the EDB are also at odds with each other due to current uncertainty in the organisation and a female officer has opted to go on leave.
Minister for Industries and Production, Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi, recently presided over a meeting of the EDB Board of Directors (BoD) and discussed ways and means to send a summary to the prime minister requesting him to review the decision of CCoE.
Additional Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production Captain Ijaz Ahmad (retd) informed the committee on July 13, 2017 that the ministry is preparing a summary for the prime minister, requesting him to review the decision of CCoE. However, it is unclear if the ministry is still considering sending summary to the prime minister even after the endorsement of the federal cabinet.
This correspondent made phone calls to Minister for Industries and Production, Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi and Secretary Industries, Khizer Hayat Gondal for comments on their future line of action but they did not respond till the filing of this report.
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