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| May 14, 2005 | Saturday | Rabi-us-Sani 5, 1426 |
Consultants in ministries getting hefty packages
ISLAMABAD, May 13: The National Assembly was informed on Friday that Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs had engaged five consultants on remunerations amounting to millions of rupees per month. In response to a question by Muhammad Tahir Shah, the lower house was informed that Arshad Bhatti of Connective Action was appointed consultant for five months at a package of Rs5.52 million. The consultancy was given by the ministry under an agreement with the Norwegian government for formulation of Youth Policy, its action plan with projects and implementation strategy.
Declared to be “taken as read,” no question was asked why the government servants were not engaged for policy formulation. It was not known if the consultant possessed any special qualifications to be awarded the contract for policy formulation when the ministry has a BPS-22 officer and other staff paid from the taxpayer’s money.
However, despite the expiry of the contract of the consultant on April 18, the government is yet to announce the policy.
The information placed before the house showed the ministry had also hired three former directors-general of the Archeology Department as consultants on salary packages of Rs100,000 each per month in addition to a firm, Consul Tech, for Rs450,000.
The officials hired by the Department of Archeology and Museums, Karachi, included Dr Ahmed Nabi, Niaz Rasool and Saeedur Rehman.
The house was informed that consultants had been hired for preservation/presentation and upgradation of Quaid-i-Azam’s birth place in Karachi. The project is expected to be completed in 2006.
INDUSTRIES MINISTRY: In response to a question by Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, the house was informed that subordinate departments of the ministry of industries, production and special incentives had hired consultants on packages which were in some instances many times more than the salary of the prime minister.
According to details, the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority has hired four consultants for SME policy development and SME Act.
The details of the perks and privileges placed before the house showed that Hashim Raza was being paid Rs600,000 exclusive of travelling, boarding and lodging. Kauser Hameed and Saeed Anwar were being paid Rs250,000 exclusive of travelling, boarding and lodging. Mr Cristoph David Mienmann was being paid pound sterling 16,500 for SME Policy Development and SME Act. The consultants were appointed in a project funded by the Asian Development Bank.
The information placed before the House showed that Pakistan Steel had hired Ms Aqeel Karim Dhedi as consultant for day to day financial matters. The information submitted to the house showed the consultant had not claimed any remuneration from Pakistan Steel despite fixation of Rs150,000 as fees.
The lower house was informed that Corus Consulting of the US had been hired by Pakistan Steel at charges of $27,624 per month for preparing market study, technical audit report and master plan for expansion of production capacity.
In addition to the financial package, Pakistan Steel was also facilitating the consultants by providing them free boarding and lodging at its guest house, chauffeur-driven car and fuel, free telephone with ISD, NWD and internet connectivity, fully furnished airconditioned office space, office secretarial support domestic and foreign travel expenses of consultants.
ARMY OFFICER: The lower house was informed that a serving brigadier of the Engineering Corps was appointed director-general of Public Works Department (PWD) for an initial period of three years and later granted extension.
Information placed before the house in response to a question by MNA Rana Mehmoodul Hasan showed that Brig Khalid Sohail Cheema was appointed as PWD DG on secondment basis on October 16, 2001 for three years. The appointment was further extended for one year on November 11, 2004.
NRB: The Chairman, National Reconstruction Bureau, Daniyal Aziz, informed Dawn that all the 20 consultants who were laid off by the Bureau during 2004 had completed their jobs.
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