ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Wednesday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to submit the investigation report of irregularities in the examinations of testing service companies in the next meeting.

A meeting of the Sub-Committee of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was held here on Wednesday with convener Rana Iradat Sharif Khan.

The meeting began with a review of the performance of the testing service companies for recruitment in government departments across the country.

Convener of the committee asked that how many testing companies are there in the country at present.

Officials from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) replied that there were currently 96 testing companies in the country.

Mohsin Dawar said that the issue of alleged irregularities by testing companies was raised in the National Assembly. The committee asked when the FIA would release its final report. The FIA officials said that the report would be submitted to the committee within 15 days.

Establishment officials said that as per the court order, the ministries and divisions were conducting the test themselves.

The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has higher workload due to CSS examination.

The committee was further informed that the government was developing a new method of testing.

Until that ministries and divisions have to conduct their recruitment themselves.

The government is addressing complaints received through portal in this regard, the Establishment Division officials added.

The committee observed that recruitment by the ministries and divisions would raise more questions.

"Our culture of favoritism is very influential," said the convener. The NTS is a government testing company or a non-governmental company? the Convener of the Committee asked. The FPSC recruits for civil posts of grade 16 and above across the country, said the FPSC officials.

The committee sought details of how many recruitments were made in the last year and asked for submission to the committee.

The FPSC has a body of 11 members and a chairman, of which two members are still short, the officials said.

The committee convener expressed concerns over the non-attendance of officials from the Cabinet Division in the committee meeting.

Testing service companies should be regulated, said convener of the committee.

Further, the results of the testing service should be available on the website within 24 hours.

The committee was informed that the government had 51 percent stakes in the NTS.

The next meeting of the committee will be held in 10 days, said the committee convener, and asked the NTS to inform whether it comes under government or a private company.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020