The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has reportedly overturned its "formal" decision to wind up Pakistan Horticulture Development Export Company (PHDEC) aimed at "accommodating own experts" by shifting its offices from Lahore to Islamabad, well-informed sources told Business Recorder. Commerce Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan had intended to dissolve the organisation which was a source of wastage of national resources. He kept the company''s file for several months in his custody at a time when the former Secretary Commerce Shahzad Arbab was bent upon reviving it.
Mian Asad Haya-ud-Din, Additional Secretary (Admin) Commerce Ministry, who recently left the Ministry and became Special Secretary Establishment due to "uncertainty" in the ministry, had also announced before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce in the presence of Secretary Commerce, Younus Dagha that the ministry has decided to wind up PHDEC.
According to sources, Chairman PHDEC''s Board had also recommended that 18-20 officials'' company should be dissolved as it has no function to perform. However, the Ministry''s bureaucracy has "foiled" all plans by the Commerce Minister, Chairman PHDEC Board and former Additional Secretary.
The sources said that the Commerce Ministry has established a revolving fund of one billion rupees, of which Rs 500 million has been disbursed for the purpose. However, it is unclear as to who is calling the shots in the Commerce Ministry regarding revival of PHDEC.
On May 10, 2017, Secretary EDF Board briefed the members of Board that a total of Rs 415.168 million has been disbursed to PHDEC by EDF for its administrative expenses. The company was asking for additional funds of Rs 35.8 million for FY 2016-17 to meet its operational expenses.
It was revealed that the proposal was discussed at length in the 9th meeting of the Finance Committee on April 14, 2017 in which the committee had recommended the EDF Board to approve administrative expenses for three months only ie Rs 6.3 million. The Ministry would finalise the decision on restructuring or winding up of PHDEC by June 30, 2017.
Secretary EDF Board apprised the members that the company has accumulated liabilities owning to the fact that no funding was provided to the company after June 30, 2016. Accordingly the company had proposed to approve at least Rs 20 million. Unconfirmed reports suggest that Ministry of Commerce is looking for a building to shift the offices of PHDEC to Islamabad from Lahore.