The Ministry of Population Welfare has again appointed Mushtaq A Khan as chairperson of National Trust for Population Welfare (NATPOW), which is unconstitutional. Sources told Business Recorder on Friday that under the rules, NATPOW chairman could not be appointed for second term.
They said that chairman had already completed three years' tenure and it was unconstitutional to appoint him for the second term adding that the government must take serious notice of his appointment.
They said that the chairman NATPOW Board of Directors was appointed for the second time after the approval of Prime Minister. They said that according to the current amendments, federal government would select the representatives from NGOs of the four provinces and AJK and small NGOs are sidelined in the selection process, which is discriminatory.
There is no share for Northern Areas and Fata in the selection process, which shows complete negligence by the government as these areas were always neglected by the government and federal area is the most privileged area of the government, they said.
Currently appointed members of the BoD are from private sector with a balanced representation to distinguished professionals as well as people from medical profession with commitment to family planning and Reproductive Health, they said. They said that members who were from Population Welfare Division and Chief Executive Officer of the trust were excluded from the Board without notification. The selection process needs transparency so that NATPOW that is a democratic institution may not become a prey to the beaurucratic negligence.