Senate panel seeks detail of CSB rule change

Notes that court had annulled discretionary powers of selection board

ISLAMABAD: A lawmaker on Wednesday raised in a parliamentary panel meeting the issue of alleged changes in the criteria for promotion of senior civil servants to higher grades and expressed fear that these changes would have far reaching effect.

According to a recent report, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has significantly increased discretionary powers of the Central Selection Board (CSB) responsible for promoting officer from grade-18 upwards.

The CSB earlier had 15 marks out of 100 marks. But after an amendment notified by the Establishment Division on Dec 3 with approval of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the CBS now has 30 marks at discretion. Now 40 marks are reserved for the annual confidential reports (ACRs) and 30 for professional courses.

The move came ahead of a CSB meeting that was earlier postponed due to protest of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) in Islamabad. Speaking at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee of the Cabinet Secretariat, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan expressed concern over the changes.

The committee’s chairman, Senator Talha Mehmood said the court has already annulled the CBS’s discretionary powers. The Secretary Establishment Davison, however, told the committee that he was not fully aware of the matter and would provide details in the next meeting.

Chairman Mehmood said the point be included in agenda of the next meeting and directed the Establishment Division to give a detailed response in this regard within three days.

The meeting also discussed a bill presented by Senator Raza Rabbani for amending the Nepra Ordinance. Expressing disappointment over absence of cabinet secretary, the chairman asked the cabinet secretariat to immediately call the secretary, warning that otherwise a privilege motion would be moved against him. He said the bill came from the Senate before the committee and it is very important.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) chairman briefed the panel on issuance of CNG station licenses and inclusion of petrol dispensers at CNG stations and said the four provinces had the same rules. However, he said, regulation standards for the CNG stations and petrol pumps were different.

The panel also took up the issue of regularization of heart specialist Dr Faridullah at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (Pims) in Islamabad. The Health Services secretary told the committee that Dr Faridullah was a highly skilled doctor who was hired on contract.

The said physician sat the Federal Public Service Commission (FPCS) exam in in light of the Supreme Court decision, passed the exam but failed in the interview.  He said the Supreme Court had given clear instructions not to close down its department of heart diseases in any case.

“That's why his contract is being renewed,” he said.

The committee directed the FPSC to send all details of Dr Faridullah to the Committee Secretariat within three days and the matter should be re-included on the next committee's agenda.