Dispute between industries secretary, minister deepens

Minister decries lack of cooperation from bureaucracy in efforts to tackle challenges

ISLAMABAD: A tussle between Industries Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal and Industries and Production Minister Murtaza Khan Jatoi has intensified as the former left a press briefing on the Ramazan package addressed by the latter on Monday.

The secretary was present at the press meet where he was supposed to assist the minister, but he left the venue before the minister’s arrival apparently due to some dispute with him.

Talking to the media, the minister for industries decried that he had invited the prime minister’s secretary thrice to discuss the issues arising out of the appointment of industries secretary. However, he was not provided with an opportunity to meet the premier’s secretary.

“Secretaries should be appointed after consulting the minister,” Jatoi remarked, but insisted that he fully supported Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, however, bureaucracy created problems for him.



He was of the view that ministers should be empowered and they should be taken on board before appointing the secretaries in relevant ministries.

“We have to tackle the challenges in our constituencies, but are unable to move forward because of lack of cooperation from the bureaucracy, Jatoi said.

Responding to a question, he said former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had offered him to join the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) before elections in 2013 but he declined the request. He also dispelled the impression that he was going to enter PPP’s ranks now.

Turning to the Ramazan relief package, the minister said the government had approved a subsidy of Rs1.6 billion for the upcoming fasting month in a bid to provide relief for the people.

Under the package, he said, 19 essential items would be subsidised and their sale at concessionary rates on utility stores was going to begin on Monday.

Jatoi pointed out that the government was already providing 5-10% relief on 2,400 goods being sold at retail outlets of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC), which he termed a good initiative.

He argued that it was not possible to monitor 5,200 retail outlets, but still special audit teams would conduct surprise visits to the stores to ensure the availability of commodities at subsidised rates.

Earlier, he said, there had been issues of packaging and quality, but now 80% branded products were being sold at the USC in order to ensure the quality of goods. The remaining 20% of products would also be replaced with branded goods for better quality.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2017.

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