The government is likely to impose ban on travel of chief executives and board members of pubic sector organisations by club/first class after serious reservations were expressed during a Cabinet meeting.
"We feel humiliated when we see the chief executives or board members of public sector organisations, which are under administrative control of our ministries, travel by club class/first class in the same flight in which we travel in economy 'plus'," sources quoted most of the Ministers as saying in the Cabinet meeting on August 26, 2009.
Sources said that the Cabinet was briefed that in view of financial constraints enforcement of austerity measures were critical and the Cabinet Division, with the approval of the Prime Minister, had issued policy instructions on visits abroad. According to Cabinet Division, notwithstanding these instructions, requests for visits abroad by Ministers/Ministers of State/Advisors / Secretaries, etc, are constantly being received. They said that Cabinet members criticised the existing policy and termed it as ambiguous, self-contradictory and stringent. They called for more flexibility and clarity in the policy. During the discussion on the summary, following two points were raised by Cabinet members:
i) Instructions on visits abroad, issued by the Cabinet Division, do not allow the Federal Ministers, Minister of State, etc, to avail of any offer of air fare and/or per diem made by a foreign government or an international agency for a visit abroad, while no such restriction is imposed upon federal secretaries and other government officials. Due to the aforesaid restriction, at times, Pakistan is not represented at ministerial level at important international fora. It was opined that since Pakistan is a contributing member of various UN agencies, the restriction does not appear to be justified.
ii) During official visits within Pakistan, the Federal Ministers, Secretaries/Additional Secretaries-in-charge of Ministries/Divisions, etc, travel by economy plus class, whereas chairmen and executives/board members of public organisations travel by club/first class.
It was opined that such an anomalous situation results in embarrassment to the Ministers. Accordingly, it was suggested that the anomaly may be removed. The Prime Minister informed the Cabinet that Minister and Secretary were not allowed to go out of the country at the same time when he was a Minister. The rationale behind this restriction is that the business of the government suffers in the absence of both the Minister and the Secretary. A view was expressed that there is a general understanding that foreign visits by junior officers are undertaken in order to supplement the income through TA/DA.
Keeping the country's financial position, Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin suggested that the latest technologies like video conferencing should be utilised. Another suggestion was made that at least two Ministries/Divisions should be represented by an officer of one Ministry by taking briefing from the other Ministry.
The Prime Minister informed the Cabinet that in view of austerity measures, a delegation of 85 officials was reduced to 10 by him. He said that the government has to remove the perception from the minds of the people that government officials are leading a lavish life at the cost of public exchequer while the public is suffering. He stated that a message must go to the masses that the government shares the sufferings of the people.
After detailed discussion, the Cabinet directed the Cabinet Division that the issue should be examined along with other austerity measures being deliberated by Minister for Finance, keeping in view the observations/suggestions given during the meeting.