Raising objections to the hefty salaries of the chief executive officers of sector development companies working under the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation, the senators on Friday said the Upper House should be provided details of the performance of those officers.
The Senate was also assured that the government would open utility stores in FATA just like other parts of the country.
During the Question Hour, the Upper House was told that the monthly salaries of the sector development companies, Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC), Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC), National Industrial Parks Development and Management Company (NIPs), Technology Upgrading and Skill Development Company (TUSDEC), Pakistan Gems and Jewllery Development Company and Furniture Pakistan, were between Rs 0.2 and Rs 0.4 million.
The members of the House raised severe objection against hefty salaries and said the House should be informed of the performance of the chief executive officers. “We have not seen any improvement in the exports of Pakistan owing to these companies and the government should provide performance reports of these officers in the House,” Senator Zahid Khan said.
Leader of the House Nayyar Bukhari said performance report of the chief executive officers would be provided to the members in the House if a fresh request was made in this regard.
Leader of the House said this when the members of the Upper House during the Question Hour severely criticised the government figures, given in answer-question booklet, that there were no utility stores in FATA.
Senator Zahid Khan said FATA was part of the country and the residents of the area were laying their lives for the country in the war against terrorsim but there was no single store for the poor residents.
Moreover, Federal Minister of State for Defence Productions Sardar Bahadur Khan Sehar in a supplementary question of JUI-F Senator Dr Ismail Bulaidi regarding Ramadan subsidy informed the House that the government provided subsidy on sugar only and all other things were sold on market rates.
Ishaq Dar raised an objection immediately that that the government had announced a subsidy package for 16 items during Ramadan and the minister must explain how the amount allocated for the purpose were consumed on sugar subsidy only.
Khan said the minister answering questions was not the minister concerned and he did not know the answers.
The minister also added that a laboratory had been set up in Islamabad to check the quality of edible items purchased by the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) and more laboratories for the same purpose would be established in all zones. He informed the Upper House that companies supplying edible times to the USC were required to have registration of the company with FBR, National Income Tax Number and certificate from Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority.
It was also sated in the question-answer booklet that there 141 utility stores outlets in Balochistan and189 people were appointed in the USC during the last two years from the province. The House was also told that around 3,591 appointments were made in the USC during the last three years and 680 were from Balochistan. Meanwhile, a question of Khan regarding monopoly of automobile industry was referred to the committee concerned. The House was adjourned until Monday.