ISLAMABAD, June 17: The Senate on Friday passed the Federal Public Service Commission (Second Amendment) Bill 2005, as opposition senators objected to giving a legal cover to what they said illegal appointments made since May 2003, by curtailing the role of the commission.
Opposition leader in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, said the government had been making claims about its efforts on good governance and transparency, but the proposed amendments amounted to giving a carte blanche for ratification of appointments made on political basis since May 2003.
He said the government spared no opportunity to malign the previous governments for making appointments and even made references against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. However, to cover up its tracks, he said, the government wanted legitimacy from parliament.
He said that by passing the amendments, the government wanted a blank cheque to make appointments. Senator Rabbani said the government was militarizing the FPSC by seeking the army’s help in its revamping and restructuring.
“It is yet another case of militarization of a civilian institution,” he said.
Senator Farooq Naek said the FPSC had been formed under Article 242 of the 1973 Constitution and the proposed amendments were not only violative of the constitution, but also against ethics and morality.
He said ministries had been making appointments in BPS 11-16, which had been outside the purview of the FPSC since 2003.
If the amendments were passed, it would lead to loss of transparency in appointments, he said.
Minister of State for Law Shahid Akram Bhinder rejected the objections of the opposition.
He said the government had taken the decision to make amendments to avoid delays in appointments through the FPSC. He said the government was within the confines of Article 242 while determining the role of the FPSC.
When the state minister tried to defend the appointment of a retired general as the FPSC chairman by citing the example of Benazir Bhutto who had also appointed Lt-Gen Tariq (r) in the FPSC Punjab, Presiding Officer Khalid Ranjha observed: “Two wrongs do not make a right.”
Later, the Senate through a majority vote passed the FPSC Second Amendment Bill 2005.
Later, the Senate unanimously adopted another bill, the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council (Amendment) Bill-2005.
GWADAR PORT: Speaking on an adjournment motion, Senators Sanaullah Baloch and Raza Muhammad Raza questioned the lack of security in Gwadar.
Senator Raza Muhammad Raza said the government had failed to inaugurate the Gwadar project on March 30, due to security concerns.
Mr Baloch said the credibility crisis between the government and the people had hampered the Gwadar project. He said the people did not want to own the project while the government wanted to impose it on them.
He said Gwadar project was a white elephant and the elite of Islamabad had siphoned of trillions of rupees by launching 32 housing societies there. He said the housing projects existed only on paper. He said that unless the exploitation of the Baloch people was stopped, not a single container would be allowed to be unloaded at Gwadar by the people.
Replying to the critique, Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Ghouri said President Musharraf had issued directives that development work of Gwadar Port project had to be completed by June 2006.
