Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources on Monday expressed serious displeasure at the absence of Minister Water Resources, Faisal Vawda, Chairman Wapda, Lieutenant General Muzammal Hussain and senior relevant officers from the meeting. Senator Yousaf Badini said that the behaviour of Minister of Water and officials indicates that Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and Prime Minister Imran Khan are over stating water scarcity in the country.
Wapda consultants tried to explain the reasons for the absence of Chairman or Member Water but Chairman Standing committee Shammim Afridi, angered at the absence of the top brass of Water Resources Ministry and Wapda, stated, "What explanation can you give for their absence? You will say we (Senate members) should resign from our seats".
He further stated that Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda actually wakes up at 2 pm.
Senator Qurat ul Ain Marri, who directly came from Karachi to attend the meeting, stated that the minister carries a gun on Karachi roads but is not able to attend committee meetings.
Joint Secretary Water Resources, Mehar Ali Shah defended Secretary Water Resources Shamail Ahmad Khawaja, saying that he always attends committee meetings but today he has some family issues.
The Senate committee members argued that the justification for the Secretary's absence may be true, but queried the whereabouts of the minister, chairman Wapda and other officers.
"When the minister does not bother to attend an important meeting, then why other officials would attend? It appears that officials have no interest in committee meetings. We will write to the Chief Justice telling him that since he is taking steps to generate money for water projects, he should also run this committee," said Senator Yousaf Badini.
The chairman committee stated that the minister comes on television talks shows but where he must speak he does not come.
Senator Sana Jamali said that both Sindh and Balochistan are facing drought like situation due to water scarcity, and in such a situation the officials and minister concerned should have attended the meeting.
Senator Qurat ul Ain Marri stated that if the minister does not intend to attend Parliament, he should let the committee know, adding that members attend meetings for lawmaking and not for Samosaz and sandwiches. She also questioned whether not attending was the Minister's policy decision.
Senator Yousaf Badini said that action will be taken against the minister if he does not come in the next meeting. The minister has not attended a single meeting so far.
Wapda officials, who according to Chairman Standing Committee were ADCs, were not allowed to speak on the projects which were on the agenda.
"They (PTI members) cry on television asking for donations for water projects but are not ready to come to the meeting for five minutes. I will quit the Senate but will not allow disrespect of my committee colleagues ," said Shamim Afridi.
The committee members decided to hold a meeting with Chairman Senate on this issue besides writing a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan. The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources was adjourned due to their absence.
The committee members expressed dissatisfaction at this behaviour and noted that the issue of water, on high priority these days on all forums, is being neglected by the government through this non-serious attitude towards Parliamentary Committee sittings called to discuss the matter.
The committee fixed the next meeting for December 20, 2018 and decided to take up the matter with Chairman Senate in the event that the same problem surfaces. Chairman Committee Senator Shamim Afridi and members Senators Gianchand, Mir Muhammad Yousaf Badini, Qurat ul Ain Marri, Sana Jamali, and Joint Secretary Water Resources, Mehr Ali Shah were present in the meeting.
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