The senators from the smaller federating units in the Upper House of the Parliament on Wednesday raised serious objection over the non-appointment of members/advisors of the Planning Commission from the smaller provinces.
The concern was raised by a number of senators on the floor during the question-hour after observing a document presented by the Planning and Development Division with details that out of 10 incumbent members/advisors, nine were from Punjab and only one was appointed from Sindh with higher perks and privileges of MP-I scale.
Except a single member Ashraf M. Hayat, the Secretary Member Co-ordination BPs-22 officer from Sindh all other members are from Punjab. They include: Dr Ishfaq Ahmed, Advisor, Ministry of Science and Technology, MP-1 with salary of Rs 2, 79,750 per month, Lieutenant General Muhammad Zubair (Retd), Member (I &M) MP-1, salary Rs 3,31,250 per month, Dr Pervez Butt, Member Energy MP-1, salary Rs 2, 79750 per month, Dr Samaar Mubarakmand, Member (Science and Technology) MP-1, salary Rs 357, 000 per month, M Akram Malik, Member (Infrastructure), BPs-22 salary Rs 56,263 per month, Dr M.E Tusneem, Member (Food and Agriculture) MP-1, salary Rs 2,79,750 per month and Dr Rashid Amjad, VC/PIDE MP-1, salary 2,79750 per month.
The State Minister for Planning and Development Division Makhdoom Shahabuddin tried to motivate the senators but failed as the members' again lambasted federation and Punjab for injustice to the smaller federating units.
"This is another example of a sheer injustice with the smaller federating units. Under what criteria all the members have been selected from Punjab. Is there not a single person from other province who can fulfil this criteria', said, Zahid Khan, an active Senator ANP from Swat.
"Is Punjab is the only province where people are competent for such high profile jobs", he questioned. A number of other senators also stood at their benches to speak on the issue but the presiding office Chairman Senate Farooq Naek, who is also from Sindh, a smaller federating unit asked the concerned Minister to ask the Prime Minister about the reason and address the concerns of the members.
Nationalist Senator from Balochistan Abdul Rahim Madokhail said that the Federation should prove itself as a balance representative of all the federating units. He suggested that such vacancies should be filled on the recommendations of the Senate where all the federating units have equal representations.
However, the furious senators became cool on the assurance of the concerned minister to address the grievance after meeting with the Prime Minister. In written reply, Minister for Industries and Production Mian Manzoor Ahmad Watto informed the House that as many as 2041 sick industrial units are present in the country and out of them 66 units are not operative since January 2006.
The minister said that these industrial units became sick in different areas due to different reasons. He underlined the factors behind closure of these units including deteriorating law and order situation, power crisis as well as the international financial crunch.
The minister also informed the House that Pakistan Steel Mills is in deficit and its production also showed shortfall this year. The government, he said, is taking measures to overcome this crisis. To anther question, Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Shahbuddin said that an amount of Rs 42.6 billion has been allocated for Balochistan in federal PSDP during financial year 2008-09.
The allocation for Balochistan in PSDP is continuously increasing, saying that Rs 5.5 billion was allocated for the province in PSDP during 2001-02, Rs 7.8 billion in 2002-03, Rs 11.8 billion in 2003-4 and Rs 20.3 billion were earmarked during 2004-05.
To another question, Minister for Foreign Affairs, in a written reply, said that out of the 16 Pakistanis, the Yemni court awarded death sentence to one Pakistani Khuda Baksh and 25 years imprisonment to the rest of the 15 individuals on charges of smuggling of drugs to Yemen.
To a question raised by Senator Muhammad Ibrahim Khan about the experience, names and qualifications of Ambassadors/High commissioner presently serving in foreign countries, Minister for Foreign Affairs provided information in a written reply, informing that 77 Ambassadors/High commissioners are serving in different countries. Out of them, ten envoys are non-career diplomats.
On a supplementary question, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Malik Ammad said that the career diplomats are being appointed keeping their seniority in view whereas the appointment of the non-career diplomats is the discretionary power of the Prime Minister.