The absence of National Highway Authority (NHA) officials from a meeting of the Senate panel on Friday irked the lawmakers who expressed displeasure over the non-seriousness of the public servants to turn up to the parliamentary bodies.
The Senate Implementation Committee which met with Senator Dilawar Khan in the chair was scheduled to take briefing from the NHA officials on the outstanding payments to landowners whose land had been taken over by NHA for construction of a road from Kaghan to Babusar Top.
However, the NHA authorities didn't turn up to the meeting and the committee summoned Minster for Communications Murad Saeed, secretary of the ministry and chairman NHA in its next meeting.
Senator Lieutenant General Salahuddin Tirmizi (retd) said that 19 years have been passed and the landowners are yet to get the compensations while the NHA is of the opinion that the payments to the landowners are pending because of the transfers of the officials.
"This is not a valid reason to be accepted. The NHA must come with explanation as to why the payments have been lying pending for the last 19 years," he added.
The meeting also discussed the alleged injustice of Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) on the basis of domicile of a doctor belonging to district Bajaur and the issue of illegal occupation on property in Peshawar division belonging to Senator Aurangzeb Khan.
"Our objective is to raise and resolve the issues and problems of the people in a positive manner. All the institutions and their officials are respectable, but they should also remember that keeping the Parliament in high prestige is also necessary," he said, adding that the public servants should cooperate with the parliamentarians in resolving the problems of the people.
The committee deferred the issue of charging of fee during summer vacations by private education institutions for its next meeting due to absence of the mover - Senator Manzoor Ahmad Kakar.
The committee observed that charging of fees from the students during summer vacations is a very important issue and it will be discussed in detail in the next meeting of the committee so that all the aspects can be carefully reviewed and parents be provided relief.
On the issue of denial of appointment of a candidate from ex-FATA on a position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa despite qualifying the SPSC examination, Senator Hidayatullah said that serious administrative issues began to rise after the merger of the tribal areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
However, officials from the Establishment Division told the committee that the position was advertised for the domicile holders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and not for the domicile holders from the ex-FATA.
The chairman of the committee in his observations said that the issue is of great importance, adding that there is also a proposal to convene a special meeting of the committee on the issue so that fair treatment to the candidates from ex-FATA is ensured in seeking jobs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The meeting was attended by Senators Naseebullah Bazai, Sardar Mohammad Shafiq Tareen, Lieutenant General Salahuddin Tirmizi (retd) and Hedayatullah, and senior officials from the concerned departments.