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Express Tribune
a day ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Centre bypasses Punjab in DAO postings
The federal government has unilaterally appointed junior federal officers as Divisional Accounts Officers (DAOs) in all 43 districts of Punjab for the disbursement of public funds for the Public Works Department, bypassing constitutional and legal protocols and irking the Punjab Finance Department. These appointments have effectively stripped Punjab's District Accounts Officers (DAOs) of their constitutional authority over the disbursement of public funds, particularly for the Public Works Department. The move has sparked strong discontent within Punjab's Finance Department, which has raised the issue at a higher administrative level. In each district, two to three DAOs have been appointed, and they have already authorised payments exceeding Rs1 billion soon after assuming their roles. Members of the ruling PML-N have formally opposed this decision. MPA Ilyas Chinioti has submitted a motion of adjournment in the Punjab Assembly, arguing that the move violates the spirit of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which grants provinces administrative autonomy. The motion demands that the federal government immediately withdraw its decision. The newly appointed federal officers are reportedly in grade 16 and 17, whereas Punjab's DAOs hold the more senior grade 18 posts. The reallocation of financial control to federal officers is seen as a direct infringement on provincial jurisdiction.
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
JI demands powers, funds for elected representatives
KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chapter staged a 'protest march' from Khizra Mosque to the Sindh Assembly on Friday, demanding financial and administrative rights for elected local government (LG) representatives. Hundreds of LG representatives including chairmen, vice-chairmen, and councillors participated in the protest. Addressing on the occasion, JI Karachi Chief Monem Zafar accused the provincial government of systematically neglecting Karachi. He called for immediate release of Rs500 billion to address the megacity's urgent civic issues. He also demanded Rs2 billion per town and Rs2.5 million monthly for each union council. He criticised the government for withholding LG funds, despite the 18th Constitutional Amendment, and for favouring nepotism over fair distribution. He highlighted Karachi's critical role in the national economy, contributing 60 percent of the federal tax revenue and 96 percent of Sindh's budget. Referring to widespread protests across the megacity, particularly in Malir against K-Electric — the JI leader vowed to escalate its 'Karachi Rights Movement' after the Eid. However, Saifuddin Advocate, leader of the opposition in the city council, alleged that the PPP was a parasite, devouring Sindh's resources. He warned of a province-wide campaign if the government failed to restore LG powers and release funds. MPA Muhammad Farooq; however, emphasised that the constitution guarantees financial and administrative authority to LG representatives. He accused the Sindh government of violating these provisions. He noted that JI was the sole party opposing recent legislation about appointing bureaucrats as chairmen of educational boards. Pakistan Challenging election of Bilawal as MNA: LHC allows petitioner Ashaba to submit documents to remove objections RECORDER REPORT LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday allowed a petitioner Ashaba Kamran to submit documents to the registrar office to remove the objections raised on her petition challenging election of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as Member National Assembly (MNA). Earlier, the petitioner's counsel contended that Bilawal at the same time was member of PPP and PPP parliamentary party. He contended that under the law a person could not become member of two different parties at simultaneously. He said the registrar office objected that some necessary documents were not attached with the petition. He, therefore, asked the court to allow him to submit the documents as demanded by the registrar office. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
19-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Shehbaz forms panel to oversee fiscal pact
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a high-level political committee to oversee the implementation of the National Fiscal Pact. The committee will also work toward building consensus on sharing debt burden between the federation and provinces, and coordinate the development of critical water infrastructure amid Indian aggression. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be the co-chairs of the eight-member committee, according to instructions issued by the Prime Minister's Office. According to the decision taken after a meeting between the PML-N and the PPP in Lahore on Sunday, the other members include ministers for defence; planning; finance; economic affairs and law, as well as the attorney general for Pakistan (AGP). Notably, the government has not included any representative from the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which governs Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Without PTI's involvement, achieving consensus on the National Fiscal Pact and meeting the fiscal targets agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) may prove difficult. The fiscal pact had been signed by the finance ministers of the federal and provincial governments in September 2024 as an IMF condition. But the implementation remains slow as provinces, particularly Sindh, have concerns regarding taking some expenditure responsibilities. The fiscal pact is aimed at rebalancing spending responsibilities and better aligns the provincial and federal taxation policies. Provinces agreed to the devolution of specific expenditures from the federal governments in line with the 18th Constitutional Amendment but the implementation could not begin. "Starting in fiscal year 2026, all new PSDP [Public Sector Development Programme] projects impacting just one province are expected to be financed directly from provincial budgets," reads the new IMF staff-level report released on Saturday. "The Prime Minister has been pleased to constitute the following High-Level Committee to oversee, coordinate, and ensure the effective implementation of the National Fiscal Pact," stated the instructions issued by the Prime Minister's Office. The Finance Division will notify the committee and serve as its secretariat, according to the decision. The committee will share the proposals requiring consideration in the federal and the provincial budgets within 10 days. One of the most important terms of reference of the committee is to build consensus and way forward on issues and challenges of national significance, including, inter alia, debt burden, critical infrastructure development and water security. The debt servicing cost is expected to be Rs8.7 trillion or half of the new fiscal year's budget. There has been thinking within the federal government to pass on some of this cost to the provinces. However, under the Constitution, the provinces are not obligated to share these responsibilities. Pakistan also needs to build new water storage facilities at war-footing to deal with India's unlawful act of blocking Pakistani share of water under the World Bank guaranteed Indus Basin Treaty (IWT). According to the Prime Minister's Office, the high-level committee will provide strategic oversight and direction to ensure effective and timely implementation of all commitments under the National Fiscal Pact by both federal and provincial governments. The committee will monitor implementation of revenue measures, including alignment of agricultural income tax with the FBR's income tax regime, transition of services GST to a negative list, development of a common framework for property taxation, and efforts to improve overall tax compliance and administration. Although the provincial governments have passed the respective agriculture tax laws, their implementation remains challenging. Due to this fact, the IMF has imposed a new condition under the $7 billion package for developing a delivery mechanism. "Implement the new AIT laws through a comprehensive plan, including the establishment of an operational platform for processing returns, taxpayer identification and registration, a communication campaign, and a compliance improvement plan," reads the second out of 11 new conditions. The Prime Minister's Office stated that the high level committee will oversee implementation of spending reforms, including increased provincial contributions to higher education and social protection, Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), realignment of the PSDP responsibilities, and phasing out of provincial support price regimes. The committee will also track progress on governance measures such as the rollout of the electronic Pakistan Acquisition and Disposal System (e-PADs), adoption of green budget tagging, digitalisation of government payments and records, and coordination on anti-money laundering and combating terror financing together with relevant agencies. The IMF report stated that the Pakistan Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) is expanding the e-PADS to federal agencies and provincial governments. As of end-February 2025, a total of 623 procuring agencies, belonging to 51 federal ministries and departments are already integrated into the system. In line with the National Fiscal Pacts, two provinces are continuing to ramp up their usage of the e-PADS; with another province already piloting their use in 2025 and the fourth province reviewing their current system for integration with e-PADS, said the IMF. So far, out of the 32,359 planned procurement contracts worth Rs821.1 billion at the federal level in the e- PADS, 21,339 contracts costing Rs74.5 billion have been completed. The high-level committee will also serve as the platform for resolving implementation challenges and facilitating consensus between the federal and provincial governments and relevant stakeholders, according to the decision. The IMF report stated that it "recommended the authorities develop a framework to guide provincial investment of their accumulated cash surpluses in government securities through non-competitive bidding".
Business Recorder
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
PPRA implements advanced e-PADS system
ISLAMABAD: The Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) has successfully implemented an advanced e-procurement system, enabling registration of more than 28,000 suppliers including 400 foreign firms, Managing Director PPRA Hasnat Ahmed Qureshi informed on Wednesday. He stated that PPRA, following a robust framework and international standards, has introduced the e-Pak Acquisition & Disposal System (e-PADS), which has automated the entire procurement process. 'Thousands of vendors have already been registered on this modern e-procurement platform, including foreign companies which can now register within 24 hours after verification by the Federal Board of Revenue and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan,' Qureshi added. The MD PPRA said that suppliers can participate in public procurement from their mobile phones or laptops, and obstacles such as visiting the office and paying for tender documents have been removed. All the tasks— from procurement planning, tender submission, and bid analysis to awarding contracts— are now performed through a safe, innovative, and user-friendly online platform, he added. He elucidated that e-PADS is a foolproof automated system that entirely restricts human intervention, even no individual including MD PPRA could interfere in its operations. 'Regular security audits are conducted and access to records is made possible through the log system in case of complaints. This inbuilt security system and reduction of human interference is further promoting transparency and accountability,' he observed. He explained that in the wake of the 18th Constitutional Amendment, procurement being a provincial subject, provinces can enact their own procurement bodies and regulation frameworks. Despite the fact, all provinces including Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are using PPRA's e-PADS while Balochistan will adopt the platform in the coming month. He apprised that internet facilities have been improved in remote areas of the country, enabling supplier's accessibility to PPRA's e-procurement system. If any issues arise, vendors can seek assistance from provincial and federal PPRA through its helplines, which operates from 8am to midnight, and can visit offices in person to resolve any complex situation, he added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Green police: Punjab breaks the mold
Listen to article Every province in Pakistan possesses a nearly complete set of environmental laws, rules and regulations. However, their enforcement is largely absent. The primary reason cited by each province is typically the lack of a robust enforcement mechanism. Now, Punjab stands alone as the province that cannot offer this excuse. It has recently established its Environment Protection Squad, a team of uniformed personnel authorised to inspect every entity and individual within Punjab to ensure compliance with environmental laws. If significant violations are identified, this squad can impose immediate penalties and initiate legal proceedings against the offenders. It's highly unlikely that someone without a technical background, whether from the ruling political party or the bureaucracy, could have achieved this. These individuals often oversimplify technical issues for the sake of impactful rhetoric. Bureaucrats typically don't stay in a single department long enough to drive significant technical development, and politicians at the top, while desiring results, primarily focus on figures to satisfy superiors and critics. Therefore, it's a real mystery for those unfamiliar with environmental science to figure out who in Punjab took such a technical initiative, which has now finalised the environmental law enforcement system. Let's unravel the mystery and give credit where it's due for this remarkable achievement. It's a step long yearned for, one that eluded all provinces, including the former green leadership of Punjab, who hesitated due to the uncertain outcome of this unprecedented undertaking. But this time, the driving force behind it all was the provincial Environment Minister of Punjab Marriyum Aurangzeb. Interestingly, before entering politics, she was a vibrant member of Karachi's environmental civil society. She actively championed environmental awareness in Karachi, even organising a major Earth Hour event at Mazare Quaid-e-Azam. Soon after entering politics, she became closely associated with Maryam Nawaz Sharif, often engaging in political sparring with opponents, and her involvement in environmental activities seemed to wane. Those who had known her professionally anticipated significant achievements in her new role. However, many were hesitant to voice high expectations openly, perhaps fearing she might prioritise defending the Chief Minister, as she had done previously. Yet, despite supporting her political leader, she also dedicated herself to her Ministry. This resulted in several noteworthy initiatives, including the green squad. Another contributing factor could be the current political landscape, where the same party holds power both at the federal and provincial levels. While the 18th Constitutional Amendment has decentralised power, this perception of unified governance can still facilitate action at all levels, especially when members of the same family lead both administrations. Nevertheless, it would be unfair to overlook the Chief Minister of Punjab's role, as she has shown the courage to support every initiative that serves the greater public good. Alright, after all that sweetness, let's switch gears and talk about some of the less pleasant aspects. For starters, there appears to be a significant amount of disorganisation within the functional levels of this new squad. It gives the impression that instead of focusing on actual performance, their primary concern is with appearances, given the abundance of fancy uniforms and gear, along with a long list of sub-departments that make it seem like they're operating with a highly advanced system. Consider the separate squads designated to monitor and control different types of pollution. What happens if the squad authorised to control plastic pollution observes industrial emissions exceeding the permissible limits? Will they intervene in another squad's area of responsibility, or will they simply call the relevant team to handle the situation? Another key issue is that no rules or regulations defining the roles and responsibilities of each squad have been officially announced or made public. Their primary function is to safeguard public health by controlling pollution. However, if the public doesn't understand how these squads operate, their presence will be ineffective until these rules are communicated. Furthermore, what happens if people witness environmental violations? Are there procedures in place to ensure the anonymity of complainants when investigating such incidents? If these standard operating procedures (SoPs) haven't been established yet, the entire green squad force will essentially just patrol the streets as a symbolic gesture — a "green flag march" intended to reassure people that their environment is being protected. While these are minor issues, they clearly persist due to the sluggish bureaucracy within our government sector. A file crawls through numerous levels of authority before finally reaching approval. At each step, from Section Officer to Special Secretary, the same phrase — "the above paragraph may be approved" — simply travels along with it until it reaches its final destination. Interestingly, the highly qualified individuals at each level, mostly from the civil services, earn a substantial salary to essentially endorse these approval requests, known as 'note-sheets' in government parlance. So, how long will it take for the higher-ups to approve taking action against someone caught under this new enforcement system? However, we must commend the entire environment department of Punjab. They have realised a long-held dream for those who have been advocating for it for the past 25 years — ever since the formal establishment of the government environment sector in Pakistan — by creating a green police force to enforce environmental laws. Previously, this task fell to our widely renowned local police. Given their notorious ability to extract profit from even the most worthless items, it's perhaps no surprise that environmental oversight wasn't spared their unique methods of handling violations, the details of which need not be elaborated here.
