MANNO
Councller (250+ posts)
ISLAMABAD: While the state institutions are already crumbling one after the other because of mounting politicisation, parliament has now set its eyes on the Federal Public Service Commission, (FPSC), the countrys premier institution, to recruit people on top posts.
It might sound unbelievable to many but the National Assembly Committee on Cabinet has recommended at least one slot amongst the FPSC members to be allocated to politicians/public representatives, a move which FPSC Chairman Justice (retd) Rana Bhagwandas says would distort the image of the Commission.
Nawaz Abdul Ghani Talpur, who led the NA Committee meeting that recently firmed up this controversial recommendation, told The News that the PPP MNA, Yasin Rehman, had originally proposed the induction of a sitting MNA and a senator as members of the FPSC. He, however, said that following the objections raised by the Law Ministry representative, it was unanimously recommended to include at least one public representative, an ex-MP, as member of the FPSC.
He argued that if a retired secretary, ex-general or a former judge could become the member of the FPSC then why cant there be a public representative in the Commission. Talpur said the committee did not find much weight even in the Law Ministry officials objection that serving MPs cannot become members of the FPSC.
This proposition, however, is simply unacceptable to the reputed chairman of the Commission. It would distort the image of the Commission, Bhagwandas said, adding that presently the FPSC enjoys the respect of the people. He fears that the peoples faith on the Commission is bound to erode by this move.
Bhagwandas said the FPSC is a unique government body that still maintains its independence but the proposed move, if approved, he warned, would dent the independence of the Commission.
Already the politicisation of the Central Selection Board, which was reconstituted by the prime minister last year by excluding the chairman FPSC as its Chairman and including two MNAs as its members besides several other federal secretaries, has led to the recent scandalous promotion of Ahmad Riaz Shaikh in BPS-21.
The Promotion Board, which was at its best under the former chairman FPSC late Lt-Gen (retd) Jamshed Gulzar, has now become a laughing stock as despite stinking reputation and tainted record Ahmad Riaz Shaikh was promoted to BPS-21, the move that later brought a lot of embarrassment to the government.
Instead of reverting to a better system where the Central Selection Board was headed by the chairman FPSC, the Commission is now being asked to find new positions for politicians. Amazingly, this strange proposal has been firmed up by the NA Committee on Cabinet within weeks of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilanis assurance to the chairman FPSC that Bhagwandass choice men would be appointed as members of the FPSC against the four vacant posts.
Adding insult to injury of the Commission, the prime minister is reported to have been presently blocking the appointments of members FPSC as recommended by its respected chairman.
Bhagwandas called on the prime minister on April 18, 2010 and during their session all issues of the Commission were discussed in detail, including the appointments and inductions against the four vacant positions.
In the same meeting, the prime minister had assured the FPSC chairman to induct the persons in accordance with his recommendations with immediate effect but practically the things are proceeding in entirely opposite direction.
The FPSC intends to take one former judge from a high court or the Supreme Court, one woman on a reserved seat and two members from amongst retired civil servants. According to The News report published on Wednesday, the prime minister during his meeting with Bhagwandas had given word to the chairman FPSC that his recommendations would be fully honoured.
Yes, a promise was made to me by the prime minister to appoint members of the Commission to ease the working and lay off pending things for years, the FPSC chairman was quoted as confirming the same but wondering, I dont know why nothing happened despite approvals and promises.
Sources in the Prime Ministers Secretariat, however, said the prime minister is under tremendous political pressure as some recently retired or the retiring secretaries have been promised these key slots in the FPSC by some powerful quarters of the PPP.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
By Ansar Abbasi
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=28967
It might sound unbelievable to many but the National Assembly Committee on Cabinet has recommended at least one slot amongst the FPSC members to be allocated to politicians/public representatives, a move which FPSC Chairman Justice (retd) Rana Bhagwandas says would distort the image of the Commission.
Nawaz Abdul Ghani Talpur, who led the NA Committee meeting that recently firmed up this controversial recommendation, told The News that the PPP MNA, Yasin Rehman, had originally proposed the induction of a sitting MNA and a senator as members of the FPSC. He, however, said that following the objections raised by the Law Ministry representative, it was unanimously recommended to include at least one public representative, an ex-MP, as member of the FPSC.
He argued that if a retired secretary, ex-general or a former judge could become the member of the FPSC then why cant there be a public representative in the Commission. Talpur said the committee did not find much weight even in the Law Ministry officials objection that serving MPs cannot become members of the FPSC.
This proposition, however, is simply unacceptable to the reputed chairman of the Commission. It would distort the image of the Commission, Bhagwandas said, adding that presently the FPSC enjoys the respect of the people. He fears that the peoples faith on the Commission is bound to erode by this move.
Bhagwandas said the FPSC is a unique government body that still maintains its independence but the proposed move, if approved, he warned, would dent the independence of the Commission.
Already the politicisation of the Central Selection Board, which was reconstituted by the prime minister last year by excluding the chairman FPSC as its Chairman and including two MNAs as its members besides several other federal secretaries, has led to the recent scandalous promotion of Ahmad Riaz Shaikh in BPS-21.
The Promotion Board, which was at its best under the former chairman FPSC late Lt-Gen (retd) Jamshed Gulzar, has now become a laughing stock as despite stinking reputation and tainted record Ahmad Riaz Shaikh was promoted to BPS-21, the move that later brought a lot of embarrassment to the government.
Instead of reverting to a better system where the Central Selection Board was headed by the chairman FPSC, the Commission is now being asked to find new positions for politicians. Amazingly, this strange proposal has been firmed up by the NA Committee on Cabinet within weeks of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilanis assurance to the chairman FPSC that Bhagwandass choice men would be appointed as members of the FPSC against the four vacant posts.
Adding insult to injury of the Commission, the prime minister is reported to have been presently blocking the appointments of members FPSC as recommended by its respected chairman.
Bhagwandas called on the prime minister on April 18, 2010 and during their session all issues of the Commission were discussed in detail, including the appointments and inductions against the four vacant positions.
In the same meeting, the prime minister had assured the FPSC chairman to induct the persons in accordance with his recommendations with immediate effect but practically the things are proceeding in entirely opposite direction.
The FPSC intends to take one former judge from a high court or the Supreme Court, one woman on a reserved seat and two members from amongst retired civil servants. According to The News report published on Wednesday, the prime minister during his meeting with Bhagwandas had given word to the chairman FPSC that his recommendations would be fully honoured.
Yes, a promise was made to me by the prime minister to appoint members of the Commission to ease the working and lay off pending things for years, the FPSC chairman was quoted as confirming the same but wondering, I dont know why nothing happened despite approvals and promises.
Sources in the Prime Ministers Secretariat, however, said the prime minister is under tremendous political pressure as some recently retired or the retiring secretaries have been promised these key slots in the FPSC by some powerful quarters of the PPP.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
By Ansar Abbasi
http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=28967