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Business Recorder
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Senate's functioning: Lawmakers express concern over IHC ‘interference'
ISLAMABAD: The lawmakers from different political parties from the two sides of the aisle in the Upper House of the Parliament have expressed concern over what they have termed is the interference of Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Senate's functioning, demanding that attorney general for Pakistan (AGP) be summoned to convey the Senate's displeasure in this regard. 'Stay orders are being issued by the Islamabad High Court against the proceedings of the Senate's standing committees. This is tantamount to interference in the Senate's working,' Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) legislator and former deputy chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla said on the floor of the House on Friday. 'This House never interfered in the court proceedings despite that there is no such bar in the law,' he said. Practitioners, Bar Councils (Amendment) Bill: Senate body passes significant amendments The senator demanded that the AGP be summoned and informed that stay orders are being issued against the Senate committees' proceedings in the matters that are not sub judice. Kamran Murtaza from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) also demanded that the AGP be summoned, and he should be conveyed the displeasure of the House. 'Summon the attorney general today, and make him answerable. The Law minister should also be summoned and asked what is going on,' said Saifullah Abro from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). 'As per the law, no court can interfere in the proceedings of the Parliament. This practice is against the principle of the separation of powers,' said PPP's Zamir Hussain Ghumro. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhary agreed that the AGP should be summoned. The matter would also be taken up with the law minister, he said. Shahadat Awan, who was presiding over the Senate session, said that a notice would be issued to the AGP regarding the matter involving interference of IHC into the proceedings of the Senate's standing committees. Meanwhile, Cabinet Division informed the Senate on Friday that the prime minister is entitled to monthly salary of Rs 1,007,280. The premier is entitled to yearly allowances of Rs 7.1 million including discretionary grant of Rs 1 million, staff allowance of 2.5 million, contract allowance of Rs 1.5 million, conveyance allowance of Rs 750,000, tour expenses allowance of Rs 750,000 and sumptuary allowance of Rs 600,000, according to Cabinet Division. Separately, the PM is also entitled to Rs 1.35 million yearly for the maintenance of official residence, reads the written reply of the Cabinet Division, shared with the Senate in response to a question posed by PTI's Zarqa Taimur. Under the relevant law, the PM is exempted from any customs duty or sales tax on the import of articles for 'personal use, wear or consumption of the prime minister or any member of his family provided that the cost of such articles shall not exceed two hundred thousand rupees per annum.' The Senate stands prorogued. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
MRI machine at FGPH Islamabad: Senate body concerned over delay in installation
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Government Assurances expressed serious concern over the delay in installation of a MRI machine at the Federal Government Polyclinic Hospital, Islamabad. The committee met with Senator Abdul Shakoor Khan in the chair at Old PIPS Hall, Parliament Lodges, Islamabad, on Thursday. The members of the committee expressed serious concern over the delay and said that poor patients are suffering due to lack of this facility. They said that poor people could not afford this facility from private clinic. They recommended that MRI machine should immediately be installed in the hospital. The officials clarified that the MRI machine was donated by the Government of Japan. They said that the civil work pertaining to the operation of the machine had been delegated from Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD) to the Capital Development Authority (CDA), resulting in procedural delays. They said that civic work is expected to be completed within 10 days, while Japanese engineers are scheduled to visit in the first week of August 2025 for installation and operation. Chairman Senator Abdul Shakoor Khan remarked, 'The concerned authorities must seek confirmation from the Japanese government on the exact operational date to avoid further setbacks.' The committee also reviewed the status of other various assurances given by federal ministries on public issues ranging from digital connectivity and health infrastructure to energy pricing and highways construction. The committee also took up the critical issue of increasing petroleum products and its deregulation by the government. Senator Kamran Murtaza said that Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) should clearly explain the government's plans to delegate the authority of petroleum products price fixation to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). It was told to the committee that, in line with the Prime Minister's directive, various proposals for a deregulation framework have been discussed with key stakeholders, including refineries, the Oil Companies Advisory Council (OCAC), the Oil Marketing Association of Pakistan (OMAP), petroleum dealers, and transporters. Senator Murtaza inquired about possible risks such as reduced market shares for refineries, increased smuggling and quality issues, market dominance by large OMCs, price hikes during peak demand, and unrestricted imports leading to hoarding. In response, the ministry clarified that a phased approach is under consideration. Initially, the pricing formula may be delinked from Pakistan State Oil (PSO) to foster fair competition. Market behaviour will be closely monitored before fully deregulating prices to ensure consumer protection and sector stability. The committee took up critical issues, beginning with the long-standing concern of poor telecom services in underserved regions. The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication informed the committee that surveys have been conducted and new projects have been initiated at three different locations to address the non-availability of 4G data and voice call services in Dheri Mera, Union Council Salhad, Abbottabad District. Expressing dissatisfaction over the slow progress, Senator Dost Muhammad Khan highlighted, 'Thousands of residents in Wana, South Waziristan — estimated at 25,000 to 30,000 people — remain deprived of internet facilities.' Supporting this, Senator Kamran Murtaza stressed, 'Similar connectivity gaps persist in Balochistan, where towers exist but signals remain non-functional.' The committee directed the ministry to submit a follow-up report within three months. Turning to infrastructure, Senator Dost Muhammad Khan voiced serious concerns over the deteriorating condition of roads in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 'NHA must ensure timely repair or recover costs from contractors if standards are compromised,' he insisted. The ministry officials assured that the matter would be taken up with the concerned contractors for immediate action. The meeting was attended by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Senator Dost Muhammad Khan, Senator Kamil Ali Agha, Senator Kamran Murtaza, and senior officers from the concerned ministries and departments. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
01-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
NHA tendering & contracting processes: Senate panel exposes alarming malfeasance
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs uncovered alarming instances of fraud, corruption and irregularities worth billions of rupees in the National Highways Authority's tendering and contracting processes. The committee's meeting, chaired by Saifullah Abro was also attended by senators including Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Syed Waqar Mehdi, Falak Naz, Kamran Murtaza, and Kamil Ali Agha. Special Secretary Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Additional Secretary Ministry of Energy (Power Division), Mohammed Sherhyar Sultan (Chairman, NHA), MD, PPRA and other officials attended the meeting. Abro exposed that a Chinese company, terminated by NHA, was disqualified in 2023 after being awarded a contract of Rs6.86 billion for the Lodhran-Multan project in 2021, where only eight per cent work was completed while around Rs2 billion was already paid. Shockingly, this same company has now been illegally awarded a fresh contract worth Rs172 billion for CAREC Tranche-III in 2024. 'How is the company that has been terminated and disqualified by the NHA being given a tender again? This is a case of ghost tendering,' Senator Abro remarked. Highlighting deliberate attempts to hide facts, Senator Abro revealed, 'Why are the bidding documents not being provided to the Committee despite repeated instructions issued by the Committee? A former NHA member is trying to hide the documents. If this case is sent to the FIA, the entire NHA team will be involved.' Senator Kamran Murtaza demanded, 'A detailed report on the judicial proceedings must be submitted to the committee,' pointing out how the advisor for the terminated and disqualified company was appointed as arbitrator and ruled against the NHA. Senator Abro emphasised, 'NHA officials should not defend wrongdoings. The Federal Minister for Economic Affairs has the responsibility to take action against corruption worth billions of rupees.' Senator Kamil Ali Agha strongly condemned the managed and manipulated processes, stating, 'Contractors are given benefits out of greed. This is a national crime because it increases the sense of deprivation in small provinces. This tendering process is completely managed.' The company named as the bidder in the Lodhran-Multan project was not the actual bidder; instead, a local company participated as a joint venture partner in the project. When terminated by NHA, the company stated in its submitted petition to the Islamabad High Court that it was the local company's responsibility to complete the project, as it was only charging three per cent of the project value. The committee observed that NHA should have taken a firm stance in Court, pointing out that company initially declared itself as the lead partner of the project but later claimed to charge only three per cent. The committee was informed that a commission of 20% - 22% is being paid on World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) projects across most provinces in Pakistan; however, the Asian Development Bank is still unable to enforce its own conditions. Senator Abro stressed, 'The Economic Affairs Division and NHA must take immediate steps to ensure transparency in the utilisation of loans and the completion of projects.' Further irregularities came to light when the MD, Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) revealed that one complaint had been received against the successful bidder of the project. A hearing on the matter was held on 12th June 2025. The PPRA had requested NHA to provide the relevant documents; however, the documents have not yet been submitted by NHA. Furthermore, it was observed that major irregularities highlighted in the complaint were acknowledged; however, NHA officials failed to satisfy the Committee and provide the required documents. The lowest bidder was also present during the hearing. The procedure was found to be in violation of PPRA rules. Based on the hearing and available evidence, the complainant's petition was accepted, and the tender process for CAREC Tranche-III was suspended due to missing documents, while the NHA did not extend the required cooperation. 'Send this decision to the Economic Affairs Division. EAD may write a letter to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to obtain details of the Arbitrator, as well as the bank account statements of the qualified company for the CAREC Tranche-III project,' Senator Abro directed. The tender documents still not shared, the Chairman warned, 'The NHA will not provide us with the documents; they will come to us on their own.' He also questioned why the Lodhran-Multan project's cost ballooned from Rs6.86 billion to Rs15 billion after retendering. The committee directed to immediately suspend the tendering process and submit complete bid evaluation report/bidding document within two days to the committee. The committee resolved that Economic Affairs Division must strictly review these massive irregularities and ensure accountability. 'The Federal Minister for Economic Affairs must play his role. Although he has never attended these meetings, it is his duty to curb corruption. The EAD should stop funding non-performing departments for future projects. A clause holding them accountable must be included in future contracts,' Senator Abro asserted. The committee recommended EAD write to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), highlighting the serious lapse committed by the NHA. The company in question, a non-performer in the Rs6.8 billion Lodhran-Multan project, disqualified in the CAREC Tranche-II ADB project, Zhob-Yarik project and failing to provide litigation information - having even been described as a ghost company in its own petition submitted to the Islamabad High Court - was suddenly qualified for CAREC Tranche-III, a project worth Rs172 billion. Furthermore, the committee also recommended that Power Division write a letter to the company for the verification of the Power of Attorney (PoA) submitted for tender ADB-401B-2022 Lot-IIA. Regarding the inquiry made by the former Caretaker Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) concerning tender ADB-401B-2022 Lot-IIA, the committee was informed that the report was unsigned and not available with the Power Division. The committee pointed out that former caretaker minister was the head of the Inquiry Committee and questioned how he had concluded his comments during the Senate Standing Committee on Power meeting held in February 2024. The Committee recommended EAD take action against the officials of the Power Division for providing incorrect information to the Committee in its previous meeting. Regarding the recovery status of Rs1.282 billion from the company qualified for the 765kV Dasu-Islamabad Transmission Line Grid Station at Islamabad West (Lot-IV), the chairman committee stated that NTDC Board was not authorised to conduct its own inquiry. The committee recommended EAD to write a letter to the relevant department (Power Division), and that Power Division refer the matter to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for recovery of the amount (Rs1.282 billion) from the qualified firm for the 765kV Dasu-Islamabad Transmission Line Grid Station at Islamabad West (Lot-IV), in line with the committee's earlier recommendation. A copy of the letter should also be shared with the committee. It was further revealed that despite funding, the N-45 Section-l (Chakdara-Timergara) project remains incomplete for several years. Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan expressed outrage: 'The NHA has demolished all roads in Chitral but started work from the tail, leaving the head and torso of the lion!' He also questioned the excessive toll taxes and fines on national highways. The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs demanded urgent action to stop such illegalities, ensure transparency in international loans, and protect national resources from misuse. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
18-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Senators call for fiscal reforms
Lawmakers in the Upper House on Tuesday called for providing more relief to the common man and stressed the need to address rising poverty, national debt, agricultural decline, and institutional inefficiencies while reaffirming their support for national defense and unity in the face of regional challenges. While participating in the general discussion on Budget 2025-26, Senator Kamran Murtaza said that during every budget exercise, two types of approaches emerge — one focused on ideological vision and the other aimed at immediate public relief. He stressed that the major challenge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan remains the law and order situation, which demands concrete and sustained measures. "We stand united with our armed forces and remain loyal to the country," he stated. Highlighting socio-economic concerns, Senator Murtaza said nearly half of the population is facing extreme poverty and lacks access to essential items such as food and medicine. He emphasized the need to tackle overpopulation wisely and called for empowering the youth through technical education and skills development. He criticized the budget, citing a decline in crop yields and the deteriorating state of agriculture. "Farmers are struggling, and taxes are being levied on those already burdened," he remarked. He urged the government to review its policies and provide greater relief to the underprivileged. Senator Saadia Abbasi also expressed reservations about the federal budget, stating that the country faces a multitude of challenges including trade imbalances, climate change impacts on agriculture, inadequate infrastructure reforms, mismanaged debt, and stagnating industrial growth. Meanwhile, the debate on Pakistan's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year in the National Assembly intensified on Tuesday as tensions flared between PPP and MQM members. PPP's Shazia Marri, in her address, called criticised the government's failure to announce minimum wages for workers and called for a reasonable increase in government employees' salaries. Her speech took an unexpected turn when a heated exchange broke out between PPP and MQM members, escalating tensions in the assembly. As Shazia stressed the importance of Karachi remaining an integral part of Sindh, MQM's Asiya Ishaq approached PPP members, leading to an intervention by Aseefa Bhutto, Sahar Kamran, and others. This led to a tense exchange of harsh words between both parties. Javed Hanif remarked, "You people have abandoned Karachi, and now you threaten us."
Express Tribune
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
4m riyals saved under Hajj costs
The Ministry of Religious Affairs' Additional Secretary informed the National Assembly Standing Committee that one Hajj assistant will accompany every 150 pilgrims to provide assistance. Additionally, the ministry has saved four million riyals in transportation costs for Hajj pilgrims. The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs, chaired by Senator Attaur Rehman, was held to discuss Hajj arrangements and related issues. The Additional Secretary stated that a 12-member procurement committee had been formed for Hajj arrangements. The committee chairman suggested including a parliamentarian in the procurement committee, highlighting that pilgrims face numerous issues every year. Committee members raised concerns over the selection process of Hajj assistants through the National Testing Service (NTS), pointing out that the NTS exam paper was leaked in the previous selection process. Senator Kamran Murtaza emphasized that the leaked paper was even circulated in a video, which he claimed to have as evidence. In response, the Additional Secretary acknowledged isolated incidents of cheating but defended the overall process as transparent and merit-based. He noted that, in the past, Hajj assistants were appointed based on personal connections and recommendations, whereas now they must pass an exam. NTS officials stated that, out of 50,000 candidates, only two or three were caught with mobile phones during the test. However, Senator Bushra Butt criticized the NTS for failing to prevent cheating and mobile phone usage during the exam. The committee chairman called for a thorough investigation into the matter. The Additional Secretary also stated that if there are any allegations of financial corruption involving NTS or the Ministry of Religious Affairs, they should be formally brought forward. Regarding the Auqaf Department, he informed the committee that the Supreme Court had ordered the transfer of Auqaf land. According to the law, anyone occupying the land until 2010 is considered a tenant. He added that the income generated from Auqaf properties is used for the maintenance of gurdwaras and temples. Senator Ali Zafar noted that the Ministry of Law had yet to respond to the Muslim Family Law Amendment Bill. He mentioned that scholars from around the world are willing to provide a briefing on the bill via Zoom. Senator Kamran Murtaza cautioned against complicating marriage and divorce laws, emphasizing that marriage is a social contract. Senator Dr. Afnan Ullah Khan warned that if the law is amended to include property division in divorce cases, people might avoid marriage, as has been observed in Europe.
