Details of civil servants with dual nationalities sought

Senate panel also tells Establishment Division to provide names of judges and generals with foreign citizenship

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Thursday directed the Establishment Division to provide details of all the civil servants having dual citizenship in the next meeting.

The committee has also sought details of such citizens, who were working in the law and justice and defence ministries – meaning details of the judges and generals having dual nationalities.

The directions have come amid speculations that at least four federal secretaries and a few serving judges and officials of the armed forces have foreign nationalities, two members of the committee told The Express Tribune.

The committee, while deliberating upon the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2022, moved by Senator Afnan Ullah Khan, also discussed PTI chairman and deposed prime minister Imran Khan’s suggestion to sack all civil servants, who had not quit foreign citizenship within six months once the civil servants act was amended.

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Senator Afnan’s bill proposed that a civil servant holding dual nationality or citizenship of any foreign country should not be entitled for appointment.

The officials informed that the word “bureaucrats” in the bill would create confusion and misunderstanding and should be removed. The committee was also informed that no new induction, except from Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in the services, would take place unless the dual citizen surrendered their foreign citizenship.

Senator Rana Maqbool Ahmad, who chaired the committee meeting, told The Express Tribune the former premier had suggested through a summary that the new hiring of the civil servants having dual nationality should not be entertained, adding those already serving should be given six months to quit their foreign citizenship or government service.

“The committee is not bound by any instructions; it has to apply its mind as the decision will have an impact on the intellectual input,” Senator Ahmad said, adding that the decision would also have an impact on country’s foreign remittances as many officials in health, education and other sectors have foreign nationalities.

Ahmad said the exemption for AJK citizens was also discussed as most of them had foreign nationalities.

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During the meeting, Jamaat-e-Islami Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan suggested that civil servants should be confined from leaving the country after their retirement after they recieved dual citizenship.

Chairman Ahmed noted that the country invested in these civil servants and they fleeing he country after their retirement with their family is a matter that should be looked upon.

The chairman also asked the mover of the bill to work on the matter within the existing bill and present it before the committee.

Following a detailed discussion, the committee deferred the consideration of the bill till the next meeting. It also decided to deliberate on the suggestion put forward by former PM Imran in the next sitting.

Senators Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Kamil Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti, Khalida Ateeb, Moula Bux Chandio, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Eng Rukhsana Zuberi, and Naseebullah Bazai participated in the meeting. The Establishment Division secretary, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and other relevant officials were also in attendance.

PTDC irks panel

A presentation was given by the PTDC Chairman that was declared “inadequate” by the committee.

While briefing the committee, the PTDC chairman while giving details of the corporation's assets and its human resource and other liabilities, said 19 properties existed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa having a market value of Rs4.69 billion with total liabilities of HR Rs24.39 billion, seven properties in Sindh having a market value of Rs941.808 million with total HR liabilities of Rs27.588 million, six properties in Punjab having a market value of Rs805.100 million with a total HR liabilities of Rs156.530 million and five properties in Balochistan having a market value of Rs721.429 million with a total HR liabilities of Rs8.759 million.

The data and calculations provided by the PTDC irked the senate body and it decided to draft terms of reference (ToRs) pertaining to the matters of the PTDC. The ToRs will be laid in the House, before regulating an inquiry against the PTDC. “They will be held accountable if found culpable,” the chairman said.

The committee also discussed on a public petition PP-3745 pertaining to the PTDC, submitted by Malik Muhammad Khan, the chairman of MK Pakistan.

The matter relates to the transfer of 172 acres at Gadani Beach, Balochistan to MK Pakistan. The committee reached its conclusion that the petitioner, as well as the government, have suffered owing to the bureaucratic lethargy and indecision.

Therefore, it allowed the petition, saying the right of the petitioner is to be recognised.

The committee directed the PTDC management to receive the payment of land from the petitioner as per the bid accepted and recommended by the corporation's board.

The PTDC management is directed to immediately transfer the land to the petitioner after payment of the cost of land as per the schedule of payment agreed upon between both the parties.

The committee unanimously ratified Senator Sarfaraz Bugti as a member of the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Council, against the seat vacated due to the death of Senator Dr Sikandar Mandhro.