ISLAMABAD: Members of a parliamentary panel on Thursday sought some facilities for civilian employees of departments attached to the Ministry of Defence at par with army personnel.
The Senate Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation met at Parliament House to discuss issues facing civilian employees of the Directorate of Education of the Garrison and the Defence Division, as well as other attached departments.
Committee chairman Senator Taj Haider said civilian employees of attached defence ministry departments were also part of the establishment and should be given maximum facilities.
Senator Farhatullah Babar, while supporting the provision of facilities to civilian employees, said army officers were getting nearly three plots in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) during their service, and called for facilities such as DHA plots and healthcare for civilian employees as well.
Maj Gen Mohammad Abid Nazir, the additional secretary of defence, told the committee that civilian employees were governed under the Civil Servant Act and its rules.
He said most of the faclities in questions are for soldiers and thier families, which could not be provided to civilian employees, who are being governed under Civil Servent Act.
Director Legal retired Col Falak Naz also told the committee that officers working in the ministry and its attached departments were allowed to apply for DHA plots without any discrimination, and plots are allotted subject to the fulfilment of certain requirements.
However, when asked whether civilians should get plots under criteria at par with army personnel, Mr Naz said there were different criteria.
Senator Kalsoom Parveen remarked that if the DHA could not give plots to civilians on controlled rates, civilian employees should, at least, be given healthcare facilities at Combined Military Hospitals.
Senator Mohammad Daud Khan Achakzai added that children of civilians studying at military-run schools were paying higher fees than children of army personnel, and asked that healthcare and education facilities also be given to civilians. Similar views were also expressed by a special invitee, former senator Anwar Bhinder.
The committee was discussing the agenda item: “Ministry of Defence to appropriate legal instrument that was directed to be issued by the competent authority in the federal government, for setting out the essential details regarding rights, privileges and terms and conditions of service of the civilian employees working in Directorate of Education of the Garrison and in the Defence Division and other attached department, thereto, vide judgment of the Supreme Court in Civil Appeal, PLD 2017 Supreme Court.”
In the aforementioned case, the SC had ruled in favour of civil servant Khushdil Khan for a plot in DHA. Mr Khan told the committee that he had won his SC case, and was now pleading for the same perks for other employees.
There are no healthcare facilities and even no painkillers for civilians, he remarked.
Senator Javed Abbasi differed with members of the committee, saying that CMHs were already catering to the needs of civilians.
“I recently visited CMH Murree, where I was told that 80pc of patients they had recently treated were civilians,” he said, adding that due to budget constraints and other issues, it would be a challenge for the army to run CMHs if civilian employees were also allowed free treatment.
The committee chairman said the committee would look into the DHA rules and propose amendments if necessary.
Earlier in the meeting, the committee also discussed the National School of Public Policy (NSPP) Rules 2017, framed under the NSPP (Amendment) Ordinance.
Senator Muzafar Hussain Shah asked Establishment Division officials several technical and difficult questions regarding the NSPP rules, and the committee directed the Establishment Division that appointments should not be made regarding the NSPP until the rules are finalised.
Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2017
