ISLAMABAD: Speaking at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, Senator Rehman Malik said due to the absence of a constitutional protection, bureaucrats lacked decision making powers, resulting in the lackluster performance by the ministries.
The senators observed that the federal ministries were not taking required initiatives in their routine performances. The committee chaired by Senator Baz Mohammad Khan was discussing the performance of the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) along with the current state of employment opportunities abroad for Pakistanis. The committee was informed that jobs in the Gulf countries were declining and there were discussions with Qatar to provide a quota of another 100,000 for Pakistanis. The committee members demanded that the ministry should play a proactive role in this regard.
The lawmakers noted that several issues that were raised at the committee could have been resolved by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis. Senator Rehman Malik said there was a feeling of fear and uncertainty among bureaucrats that was why nobody was willing to take decisions. “I have been an officer too and I can feel the situation. Bureaucrats need to have constitutional protection otherwise they are exposed to pressures which could be from political heads and courts and nowadays NAB is in the field,” he added. “I am about to bring a private member’s bill in this regard so that the bureaucrats can have confidence to say no to pressures or take decision which are appropriate,” he added.
