Federal government has decided to challenge moratorium on new development schemes imposed by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), well-informed sources told Business Recorder.
Sources said that in its meeting on April 12, 2017, the cabinet had approved the establishment of inter-ministerial committee comprising of Ministers for Finance, Petroleum and Natural Resources, Parliamentary Affairs and Planning, Development and Reforms or their nominees/ representatives to recommend gas development schemes.
The committee held four meetings on March 1, 2, 14 and 20, 2018; approved and recommended 20 gas development schemes where no federal government's funds were required and three gas development schemes where funds had been allocated from SDGs program. The committee also recommended 43 gas development schemes where funding was required subject to the availability of funds. Out of these, the funds for 9 schemes had been consequently released by the government.
In this regard, Petroleum Division solicited ratification of the cabinet to the decisions of the committee and approval of Rs 3.292 billion for the schemes subject to the availability of funds with federal government.
During discussion on the issue, it was pointed out that the ECP on April 11, 2018, had imposed moratorium on all development schemes including installation of gas pipelines. Moreover, the ECP emphasized that the federal government, the provincial governments and the local governments would not issue tenders of such schemes.
Recently, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Khursheed Shah urged the ECP to review the order barring public institutions from recruitment and demanded appointment of provincial election commissioners.
He further said Election Commission has been misguided. He reminded that ECP had gained greater autonomy after the 18th Amendment, leaving no reason for failure. He said coming general elections would be a test for the ECP.
Shah later wrote to the ECP stating that the timing of the ban was unhelpful and that it should have come into force only after the date of the elections had been announced.
Referring to the notification which halts hiring in the federal, provincial and local government institutions from April 2018, Shah pointed out that the order has been issued much before the announcement of Elections 2018 schedule.
The ECP notification had instructed that development plans such as the installation of the gas pipelines, carpeting of roads, water supply schemes and other projects approved on or later than April 1, 2018, would be halted while funds issued for ongoing development works would not be transferred.
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