Speaking on a point of public importance in the Senate today, Senator Farhatullah Babar raised the issue of allotment of lands to public functionaries on their retirement as a reward for the services rendered.
The issue involved a number of questions, including whether such allotments were governed by legislation or rules and regulations, who framed those rules and when, the application of the rules in the past and whether the application of such rules in the future need to be streamlined, he said. There was also the question of who among the retired senior officials were entitled to this extraordinary privilege, he added.
The issue is both sensitive and important, he said, calling for its examination in a relevant committee of the senate, which may discuss it on camera if it so deemed, he said. As these allotments are claimed to be made under the laws and regulations, it is important that these are also examined in a holistic manner in the legislature, he said. It would be in the interest of everyone if there is transparency and the procedure was reviewed by the Parliament.
Chairman Raza Rabbani reserved his ruling saying that he would consider how best to proceed with post-retirement benefits to public officials in a holistic manner. On another issue of public importance, Senator Farhatullah Babar drew attention towards what he called kidnapping and unlawful confinement of two teenagers by Islamabad police last Sunday, who were later recovered from a local police station.
The police at first denied any knowledge, but when the relatives of one of the teenagers using high-tech technology traced his location from the mobile telephone, they were found in a police station. Terming it a serious incident involving human rights and liberties, chairman Rabbani referred it to the human rights committee of the senate with direction to investigate and report on it during the next session of the senate.
Senate body to consider PPP Authority Bill 2016 on Feb 16
The Standing Committee on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs, Statistics and Privatisation is scheduled to have further considerations on the Public Private Partnership Authority Bill 2016 during its meeting scheduled in Islamabad on Thursday.
According to the notification of Senate Secretariat, the bill to provide a regulatory and enabling environment for private participation in providing public infrastructure, and related services through fair and transparent procurement was passed by the National Assembly. The bill was referred to the committee for consideration and report.
According to the notification, the committee would also consider the bill to provide for rehabilitation and reorganisation of distressed corporate entities—the Corporate Rehabilitation Bill 2017—which was introduced in the house on January 19, 2017, and referred to the committee for consideration and report.
This bill is required to be presented to the house on or before March 20, 2017, according to the senate notification.
Furthermore, the committee would also consider the private members’ bill titled the Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2016, introduced on September 26, 2016, by Senator Muhammad Azam Khan Swati and referred to the committee.