Centre’s authority to appoint CS, IG police questioned

Senate body summons establishment, law secretaries

ISLAMABAD:

Seeking a clarification over an issue pertaining to the appointment of chief secretaries and inspectors general of police after the 18th amendment, a Senate committee chaired by Senator Farooq Naik has summoned the law and establishment secretaries next month on November 4.

The aforementioned issue involving the appointment of civil servants was considered by the Federation after the 18th amendment in the legislative committee assigned by the Senate.

The meeting was attended by additional and joint secretaries of establishment division.

Presenting a report of the petitions filed in courts regarding the appointment of chief secretaries, establishment division officials maintained that 18 cases related to the appointments and postings of chief secretaries are pending in high courts and services tribunals.

They persuaded the committee to not legislate on the matter as long as the matter is pending before courts.

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Lambasting the officials over the non-submission of the report by the establishment division to the members before the meeting, Committee Chairman Farooq Naik said the report which was just submitted to the committee should have been sent earlier so that the members could read and prepare for the discussion.

He maintained the position that after the 18th amendment, the Federation must invite a panel of officers from the provinces.

Senator Naik further questioned that after the 18th amendment, who is the authority for deployment in federal police units?

On not receiving a satisfactory reply from the officials representing the establishment division, the committee chairman termed the preparation of establishment division officials not up to par in the case.

“Your preparation on this issue is incomplete,” he said. Come to the next meeting with full preparation.”

Towards the end of the meeting, Senator Naik concluded that it is imperative for all the provincial chief secretaries to explain the appointments of the IG police.

The committee chairman maintained that after the 18th amendment, the federation invites a panel of officers from the provinces for appointment as chief secretaries and IGs of police but it was questionable as to whether the center had the prerogative to do so after the 18th amendment.