NTS mismanagement led to paper leak in Dir

A sub-committee of the lower house of parliament has proposed that the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) should be assigned the task of conducting initial testing of the people applying for government jobs.

However, the panel has clarified that this job should be assigned to the FPSC subject to strengthening of the commission with required human and financial resources.    

The convener of the sub-committee, MNA Rana Iradat Sharif Khan, was briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat about the findings of the sub-committee regarding leakage of paper during a National Testing Service (NTS) exam in District Lower Dir

He said the NTS was subjected to mismanagement due to which test papers were leaked before tests. Khan said the sub-committee had recommended that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also probe into the scandal.   

“After thorough deliberation and discussion, it is recommended that the initial testing of the candidates aspiring to become government servants should be assigned to the FPSC subject to strengthening of the commission with required human and financial resources,” he said.   

The committee, chaired by MNA Kishwer Zehra, later adopted the report of the sub-committee and directed it to send its recommendations to the relevant departments for implementation.    

Earlier, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) chairman and member also briefed the panel on shortage of gas during winters and the role of the regulator in this regard.  

The Orga member gas said the Cabinet Committee on Energy had formulated guidelines for gas companies to meet the shortage of gas during the current winter season. “The role of Ogra is confined to facilitation in respect of grant of licenses to gas companies,” he said.   

To a question, he said Ogra has submitted its summary to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet for seeking guidelines for grant of licenses to the companies for marketing of flare gas.    

The committee decided to have a briefing in its next meeting on the petrol crisis that emerged in the country in June this year and the report submitted by an FIA led commission of inquiry into its causes.

Discussing the constitutional amendment bills moved by Alia Kamran and Salahuddin Ayubi, the committee asked the Establishment Division to pursue the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases for a decision on amendment bills.      

Discussing the Pakistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the committee decided to defer further discussion on it till its next meeting. The committee also directed the Cabinet Division and the PPRA to examine the amendments proposed by a committee member.    

Apprising the committee of the proposed amendments, MNA Ali Nawaz Awan said his amendments are in consonance with the PPRA Act and provide a mechanism h for an independent governing board.     

Minister In-charge for Cabinet Secretariat  Ali Muhammad Khan, MNAs  Saleem Rehman, Ali Nawaz Awan, Sheraz Mehmood, Aslam Khan, Uzma Riaz, Rasheed A Khan, Rana Iradat, Shahnaz Saleem Malik, Seema M Jameeli, Mehmood Shah, Mohsin Dawar were among those who attended the meeting.

APP WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM NEWS DESK