Seven new federal ministries – Human Resource Development, National Harmony, Professional and Technical Training, National Food Security and Research, National Disaster Management, National Heritage and Integration and National Regulations and Services – created in two phases in July and October last year by the prime minister to accommodate his government’s allies, have no oversight from the National Assembly, as despite the formation of new standing committees a few days ago, their chairpersons have not been elected as yet, while the Senate has even failed to form the standing committees for the said ministries. Despite the passage of around six months, both Houses of the parliament have failed to establish a mechanism for parliamentary oversight on over the ministries of Human Resource Development, National Harmony and Professional and Technical Training, which were created by prime minister in July to accommodate PML-Q leaders who had lost their portfolios after the devolution of several subjects to the provinces under the 18th Amendment.
Similarly, standing committees of both Houses are not functional for the ministries of National Food Security and Research, National Disaster Management, National Heritage and Integration and National Regulations and Services, which were created in October to accommodate portfolio-less ministers, including Samina Khalid Ghurki of the PPP and Mir Israrullah Zehri of Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A). Interestingly, three months down the line, the prime minister has yet not made his mind for appointing ministers to the ministries of National Disaster Management and National Regulations and Services.
In its last session of the current month, the National Assembly passed a motion for the creation of standing committees on these newly-formed division/ministries with the approval of their members’ composition, but the chairpersons of the parliamentary bodies have not been elected yet. Commenting on the issue, Senator Mushahidullah Khan, PML-N secretary information, said the scenario indicated government’s incapability and non seriousness. “On one hand they created new ministries to please their allies against the spirit of the 18th Amendment, but on the other, they have failed to make them answerable to parliament,” he said.
A source in the National Assembly told Pakistan Today that race was on between candidates of various parliamentary parties from both the treasury and opposition benches to get the chairmanship of newly-constituted standing committees. He said the chairpersons of the newly-created standing committees would not be elected by voting, rather the NA speaker would have consultations with all parliamentary party leaders to develop a consensus for nominating chairs of parliamentary bodies, in which MNAs from all parties would get proper share according to their strength in the House. The source said Hanif Abbasi of the PML-N was likely to get the chair of standing committee on human resource development, while Samsam Bukhari of the PPP could become the chairperson of standing committee on national disaster management. He said Akhunzada Chattan or Ghulam Farid Kathia of the PPP might be named the chairperson of standing committee on national food security and research, while MQM MNA Manwar Lal could get the chair of standing committee on national harmony.
The parliamentary source said Fiza Junejo of the PML-Q was a strong candidate for the chair of standing committee on national heritage and integration, while the chair of NA committee on national regulations and services might go to Ahsan Iqbal of the PML-N. The source said Malik Nauman Langrial of the PML-Q was a strong candidate for the chair of standing committee on professional and technical training.
Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) called the non-formation of standing committees by the Senate a “glaring example” of PPP’s bad-governance. He said the PPP government had broken all previous records of bad-governance and inefficiency. “The PM created new ministries against the spirit of devolution of power just to appease coalition partners … now these ministries are working without any parliamentary oversight, which is against constitution and spirit of democracy,” Professor Khurshid added.
