Directives of Senate, NA panels upset ministry

Power Division says committees cannot interfere in govt’s affairs

ISLAMABAD:

The Power Division has voiced disappointment over the involvement of parliamentary committees in administrative affairs of the government.

Senate and National Assembly standing committees on power have been taking up power-sector issues in recent days. The committees comprise politicians from different political parties who are promoting electricity schemes of their constituencies.

On some occasions, the parliamentarians have raised questions over the Power Division’s reluctance to carry out the development schemes that were contrary to the electricity supply policy.

The Power Division, while expressing its reservations, has conveyed to the Senate Secretariat that electricity and other policymaking fell within the domain of the federal minister and prime minister.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the Power Division argued that the role of parliamentary committees was advisory in nature and they did not have any mandate to issue directives to the government about the administrative affairs.

In order to fulfill their agenda, they were issuing directives to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), which had upset it, they said.

In a letter to the Senate Secretariat, according to sources, the ministry conveyed concerns of the federal energy minister.

It said that Rule 47 of the Rules of Business 1973 “states that committees of the assembly or Senate, standing or ad hoc committees, may be constituted by the assembly or Senate to advise the divisions concerned on general administrative policy or a special problem”.

As a result, the committees have an advisory role in general policy or special problems. It said that Rules 5(1), 5(5), 5(8) and 6 of the Rules of Business empowered the prime minister and the minister in charge of a division for policymaking for the federal government and the convening division respectively.

It pointed out that Articles 153 and 154 of the Constitution granted the powers of electricity policymaking to the Council of Common Interests (CCl).

The Power Division mentioned that Rule 166 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate 2012, as amended up to January 27, 2020, said that committees may call for views of the ministry and may send a report to the Senate, which may make recommendations thereon, as it may deem fit.

“This further clarifies the role of committees as advisory and recommendatory bodies through the forum of Senate and they cannot issue directives.”

While referring to a letter sent by the Senate Secretariat, the Power Division said that the use of word “directed” in communications by the secretariat violated the Rules of Business 1973.

“It is also an infringement into the domain of the federal government as enunciated in Articles 90 and 99 of the Constitution.”

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2023.

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