Even after the completion of 100 days, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is yet to take decisions on filling important vacant slots such as envoys to important foreign countries, a chief for the corruption watch dog National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and many more.
The PML-N government is seemingly unable to get done with the process of such appointments that are directly linked with important national and regional matters.
Former senator and expert on legal matters S.M Zafar opined “the delay is inviting other institutions to intervene as many parties are filing petitions in the apex courts to get rid of the delays hurling the appointment on key posts.”
Zafar said PPP which holds the office of the leader of opposition in National Assembly and generally the opposition that contains Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will surely play a decisive role in the appointment of the CEC and chairman NAB.
Zafar also expressed the reservation that “not only NAB’s chairman but also CEC’s appointment should be approved at earliest by government and opposition with consensus as the local government elections are approaching later this year and the timely appointment of CEC would play a pivotal role to conduct these elections in a transparent manner.”
Zafar concluded that The PML-N has not failed to evolve a consensus over the appointment of chairman NAB as they have a lot of mess in their plate but should avoid further delays as it had already led the SC to place the two parties on notice to arrive at a decision within a week, adding that “PML-N must determine their priority.”
Regarding no concrete headway towards deputing new envoys in Pakistan’s missions abroad, Zafar said that the prime reason behind this unnecessary delay is that the prime minister is carrying many slots personally, resulting in bad decisions.
Mushahid Hussain Syed said that 100 days are over but team selection remains the prime headache of incumbent PML-N government.
“Counties such as the US has no capital to contact with Pakistan and keeping in view the situation approaching with regards to the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, this seems something irresponsible on our government’s part that could also lead to a big loophole while dealing with the US.”
A foreign office official said that vacant seats concern in important countries is lingering on due to present government’s ‘search for own man’ policy, adding that the foreign ministry had earlier decided to appoint new Ambassadors in 20 countries.
Sources said it was decided to change officials deputed in different countries, saying the current Ambassadors had completed their job tenures.
Names which were likely to be called back to Pakistan include Wajid Shamsul Hasan (United Kingdom), Salman Bashir (India), Masood Khan (Pakistani delegate for the United Nations), Jamil Ahmed Khan (United Arab Emirates) and Nawabzada Aminullah Khan Raisani (Oman).
The decision came after a briefing by foreign office to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif where it was told that some Ambassadors were selected for the posts on the basis of political influence and personal recommendations while retired military officers were deployed in six countries.
Experts believe that adding to the problems of PML-N government, another debate is also about to be sparked on appointment of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Army Staff and Chief Justice as all of these posts are extremely important for the government.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2013.
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