ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, convened Friday deliberated over key legislative matters, including the Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aimed to enhance women’s representation and safeguard the rights of non-Muslims in public service but deferred it for further discussion.

The bill, introduced by Senators Quratul Ain Marri, Zamir Hussain Ghumro, and Poonjo Bheel, emphasized that women, who constituted more than half of Pakistan’s population, required fair representation in the civil service. Senator Ghumro reiterated that constitutional protections must ensure the inclusion of women and non-Muslims in decision-making roles.

A statement issued by the Senate said that the proposed amendments suggested reserving 10pc provincial and regional service quotas for women and five percent for non-Muslims.

Deliberates over key legislative matters

However, the Secretary of the Establishment Division Inamullah Khan explained that while these quotas were currently implemented through Office Memorandums (OMs), these directives lacked statutory support.

He warned that granting legal cover to such quotas could complicate future amendments.

The secretary also advised that if the quotas for women and non-Muslims were incorporated into the Civil Servants Act, 1973, other constitutional quotas might need to be included for uniformity.

The Cabinet and Establishment Secretaries further highlighted the practical challenges of deploying women officers in field postings.

Following a detailed discussion, the committee deferred the matter, requesting the Establishment Division to provide a detailed report on the gender, domicile, and performance records of successful civil service candidates over the past five years.

The committee also decided to review similar amendments proposed by the Sindh Assembly, aiming to expand women’s and non-Muslims’ participation.

In a related discussion, the committee examined another amendment proposed by Senator Afnanullah Khan, focusing on dual nationality among civil servants. Senator Khan argued that civil servants holding dual nationalities posed risks to national interests. After debating the legal and practical aspects of the bill, the committee deferred the decision, instructing the Establishment Division to present a detailed report.

The report was expected to include the number of dual national civil servants, distinguishing between those who acquired second nationalities before and after joining public service, with particular attention to those serving in sensitive positions.

The committee also addressed Public Petition 6110, which called for a dedicated public holiday to promote tree plantation and raise climate change awareness. While recognising the importance of the cause, the Cabinet Secretary argued that declaring a new holiday might be impractical, suggesting instead that existing holidays be used for such activities.

The committee supported this view and disposed of the petition.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2024