Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, led by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, convened to address ongoing matters concerning civil service reforms, governance, and institutional transparency. Key issues discussed included the potential appointment of Principal Accounting Officers from the private sector, consumer complaints against utility services, and the allocation of federal services among provinces.

According to Senate of Pakistan, the meeting saw participation from several senators, including Saadia Abbasi, Amir Waliuddin Chishti, and Mohammad Abdul Qadir, with Anusha Rahman Ahmad Khan joining virtually. The Committee scrutinized a Calling Attention Notice concerning the government’s reported move to appoint Principal Accounting Officers from outside the civil service. The Committee underscored the crucial role of these officers in maintaining public accountability and financial discipline, and it strongly advised against such appointments, citing constitutional concerns.

The Committee also examined a consumer complaint regarding an excessive gas bill issued by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and questioned the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s handling of the matter. The Establishment Division was tasked with investigating the issue.

Among other topics, the Committee deferred discussions on ensuring provincial representation in federal services to the Senate Functional Committee on Devolution. Additionally, it addressed the need for revising the Warrants of Precedence due to the creation of new offices and directed that the matter be resolved within two weeks.

Further discussions centered on the Civil Service Examination, with concerns about high failure rates and reported anomalies in interview scoring. The Committee requested a detailed report on these issues. Matters concerning the approval of 11 KV Vacuum Circuit Breakers and tariff determination by NEPRA were also discussed, with a call for comprehensive investigation into Independent Power Producers.

Finally, the Committee reviewed the protection of service rights for regularized civil servants and received a briefing from the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission on expanding skill development opportunities, recommending further funding exploration and quality assurance measures.