Special panel: Senators oppose placing CCI under ministry

Insists decision can only be taken after parliament’s approval

ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be rejecting the federal cabinet’s decision to put the proposed permanent secretariat for Council of Common Interests (CCI) under a ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, the Senate’s special panel has demanded complete autonomy.

Legislators unanimously rejected efforts of Establishment Division Secretary Nadeem Hassan Asif and Ministry Inter-provincial Secretary Raja Nadir who defended the decision of renaming the ministry and making CCI part of it.

The meeting of Senate’s functional committee on devolution and IPC was called on Tuesday after Minister for IPC Riaz Hussain Pirzada could not give a satisfactory reply about the establishment of permanent secretariat for CCI before the Senate on December 22.

Successive governments have been delaying the establishment of an independent secretariat for the Council of Common Interests. Even though the provinces continue to face problems about regulatory authorities and related subjects it has still not been established.

Under the Constitution, the government is bound to establish a permanent secretariat of the CCI with equal representation from the four provinces. The instruction has been clearly listed under Clause (3) of Article 154 of the 1973 Constitution.

On December 15, the federal cabinet suggested approval of renaming the IPC ministry “with a view to reflect its functioning as CCI secretariat.”

However, the panel’s discussion thwarted all efforts to rename the ministry and bring CCI under its umbrella. The senators unanimously suggested that it should be a separate body without being influenced.

“The constitution is being violated by bringing the CCI secretariat under the ministry and the government is looking for shortcuts,” said MQM’s Tahir Mashhadi, adding that a ministry could not be established without parliamentary approval.

PPP’s Senator Taj Haider suggested that representation of provinces as its head on rotational basis will make the body neutral and diverse. He also suggested a one-year calendar for the meetings of CCI “so everyone at federal and provincial level knows and prepares prior to the meeting.”

The recommendations will now be sent to the Senate chairperson.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2017.