ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution on Thursday deferred its meeting to protest what they said the persistent absence of inter-provincial coordination minister and secretary.
Committee Chairman Moula Bux Chandio announced deferring the meeting without taking up agenda items, saying that the meeting could not be conducted in the absence of administrative heads of the departments concerned who are absent without intimating the chair.
The meeting was held to discuss three point’s agenda items pertaining to the implementation status of the recommendations made in its previous meeting of the committee.
Senator Moula Bux Chandio asserted that no one is superior to the parliament and warned the secretary that he would file a privilege motion against them in case of future absence from the meeting.
Senator Lt Gen (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi, while showing his indignation over the continuous absence of the minister and secretary in committee meeting, demanded to issue a show cause notice to them, adding that the presence of decision makers was essential in the meeting for taking vital decisions.
Senator Sassui Palijo remarked that officials have not considered it important enough to participate in the meeting. “Members from far-flung areas have come to attend the meeting incurring heavy expenses and ministry officials do not attend thus wasting public money,” she said, adding that the bureaucracy must follow the rules.
