Club’s admin summoned over ‘irregularities’

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination was held on Friday at Parliament House, Islamabad.

The meeting was chaired by Senator Nisar Ahmed Khurro and was attended by Senator Gurdeep Singh, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, Senator Kamran Michael and senior officers of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination along with its attached departments and agencies.

Matters discussed included the year-wise audit details of the Gun and Country Club and a briefing related to the scope of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination.

The ministry while briefing the committee regarding audit details of the Gun and Country Club from June 2019 to June 2022 explained the issues related to the property and its management and apprised the committee of numerous irregularities that resulted from the non-availability of staff that well conversant with government rules.

In addition, the committee was informed of an area of more than 100 acres that is in occupancy for a shooting game without any legal framework. The chairman committee stressed the need for laws in this regard and questioned the delay despite orders of the Supreme Court in 2020. The Committee was informed that laws related to dealing with related matters were being formulated.

The committee stressed the need for an expedition into the process of law formulation and summoned the ministry of law for consultation on the matter at the next meeting.

It was asserted that the management of the Gun and Country Club must be summoned to the next meeting as well. It was asserted that a letter must be written to the Cabinet Division on behalf of the Committee so that issues related to the matter may be resolved at the earliest.

Chairman Committee asserted that this national asset is being exploited and all out efforts must be made to ensure that this practice is curbed.

Deliberating over the scope of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination the committee was informed regarding details of the related departments. The committee was informed that IPC came into existence in 1972 and was re-established as a division in 1996 and was abolished and re-established in March 2007.

It was converted to a full-fledged ministry in 2008.

Functions of the ministry and organszations that fall within its ambit include the Pakistan Veterinary Medical Council Islamabad, Legislation covering all aspects of sports affairs and matters ancillary thereto, administrative control of the board established for the promotion and development of sports under the Sports (Development and Control Ordinance, 1962 (XVI of 1962), Pakistan Sports Board, Pakistan Cricket Board and the Federal Land Commission.

The committee while reviewing details of the ministry’s work, especially with sports and cricket directed the ministry to expand its talent search to areas outside the urban areas. The committee also emphasised the need for developing a sports ground in every district.

The Committee was informed that sports are a devolved subject since the 18th Amendment. However, a broad guideline regarding this matter could be shared with provincial sports boards.

Discussing the National Internship Program (NIP) that was conceived and designed by the Establishment Division in FY 2006-2007, the Committee was informed that the NIP business was assigned to the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination in 2014.

The committee was of the view that the break-up of interns from all four provinces for NIP and other such programs that include the Prime Minister's Youth Training programme must be ensured according to the NFC share. It was also asserted that details of inductions as a result of such programs must be submitted to the Committee as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2023.