The government on Monday failed in pushing through a much-awaited legislation from the National Assembly to put in place Drug Regulatory Authority (DRA), after opposition voiced concern over an amendment proposed to the draft law fearing it may pave the way for appointment of a dual national as head of the authority.
Deputy Speaker National Assembly, Faisal Karim Kundi, was compelled to abruptly adjourn the proceeding after a member of opposition pointed out quorum. All this started when Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) moved an amendment to the clause 14(3) regarding appointment of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan Bill 2012 moved by Dr Fardoos Ashiq Awan, Minister for National Regulations and Services.
The Minister did not oppose the proposed amendment to law, but the opposition, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), opposed it arguing that the amendment would allow for appointment of a dual nationality holder as head of the authority.
Zahid Hamid of PML-N opposed the amendment on the contention that an appointment of dual nationality holder as head of the authority would lead to conflict of interests, as he has to deal with multi-national pharmaceutical companies and some of them may be from the country of which he is dual national.
Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who also opposed the amendment, stated that the country suffered massive financial loss on account of corruption and misappropriation because of appointment of dual nationality holders as heads of various pubic sector organisations.
Khawaja also cited the examples of former Chairman Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), and other Regulatory Authorities including Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) who he stated "caused colossal loss to the national exchequer." He stated that former Chairman PTA was holding Canadian Nationality and is now a "missing person" as no one knows about his whereabouts.
Deputy Speaker National Assembly also observed that "if dual nationality holders could not be parliamentarians, the appointment of dual nationality holders should also not be allowed in other public sector organizations."
Khawaja Asif said that most of secretaries in the public sector organizations are dual nationality holders and some of them are wanted by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) but they are not present in the country. He said that Constitutional provision regarding dual nationality holders should be applied across the board and dual nationality holder bureaucrats should also be removed from their offices. Khawaja said that parliamentarians are being disqualified for five years while on other hand liberal attitude is being adopted towards bureaucrats.
Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah said that the parliament should not send a negative message to dual nationality holders Pakistanis because they are contributing to the economy of the country by sending $13 billion remittance annually. He said that some people in superior judiciary, military and bureaucracy are also having dual nationality and said that the opposition should bring legislation and the government would support it.
Khawaja Asif disputed the Minister's claim that $13 billion was being sent by the dual nationality holders, saying that a major chunk of the remittances was sent by Pakistani workers from Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia and they haven't dual nationality. He said that the difference was that the Pakistani workers in Gulf and Saudi Arabia had roots and families in Pakistan, whereas other dual nationality holders are permanently settled abroad and prefer to take money out of Pakistan instead of sending it to the country.
Fardoos Ashiq Awan said that the federal government has taken on board all the provincial governments regarding establishment of drug regulatory authority and all the provincial governments adopted resolutions in this regard in their respective assemblies to allow the parliament to legislate for having a drug regulatory authority in the country.