ISLAMABAD: Senate’s poverty alleviation panel has voiced serious concern over the slot of managing director Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal (PBM) been lying vacant for months, asking the federal government to appoint the PBM chief at the earliest.

The development surfaced in the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety on Tuesday.

The slot of MD PBM has been lying vacant since this March, the officials of Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety (PASS) informed the Senate panel.

“This is something that is not only extremely surprising but totally unacceptable, as well,” remarked Umer Gorgaij, the committee’s Chairman.

“The non-appointment of MD has brought the affairs of PBM to standstill,” he said.

“It’s high time, the government wake up to the plight of the needy who await humanitarian assistance from PBM,” he added.

The committee unanimously recommended to the federal government to appoint PBM MD as soon as possible.

The committee members including Abdul Shakoor Khan, Jan Muhammad, Dost Ali Jeesar, Rubina Qaim Khani, as well as, senior officials from Ministry and its attached departments attended the meeting.

A senior government official, requesting anonymity, told Business Recorder that Syed Tariq Mahmood ul Hassan, who was appointed as MD PBM by the federal government this February, stepped down in March, due to the reported reason that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had expressed strong reservations over his appointment, which prompted the federal government to convey Hassan to step down.

The PPP, it is learnt, wanted that the slot of MD PBM should go to one of its members. However, the lingering delay in the MD’s appointment is reportedly linked to the continued delay on part of PPP in joining the federal cabinet.

The source said that hundreds of applications of the deserving persons seeking financial assistance from PBM are presently pending in the office of MD PBM for approval.

Before Hassan, the position of MD PBM was held by Amir Fida Paracha, who also belongs to PPP. He quit last December to take part in February 8 general elections.

It merits mentioning here that Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), another attached department of PASS Ministry, is headed by former senator Rubina Khalid, who also belongs to PPP.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024