Senate Commerce Committee moves breach of the privilege of Senate

ISLAMABAD, Oct 08 (SABAH): A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce was held today, chaired by Senator Anusha Rahman Ahmed Khan at the Parliament House. 

The Committee unanimously moved a privilege motion against the Ministry of Commerce officials responsible for non- exclusion member Parliament from the TDAP board since 2021 abrogating the law and the Parliament. This issue has persisted on the agenda for several meetings, and after a thorough review of the records of the Commerce ministry, it was revealed that some officials of Ministry of Commerce have consistently excluded the parliamentary members from the TDAP board since 2021, without any legal authority using unsubstantiated excuses.

Committee members took serious exception to the Ministry of Commerce officials  for consistently misleading the Committee’s proceedings regarding the failure to acknowledge Senator Saleem Rehman’s ratification to the TDAP board from 2021 to 2023 and later the delay continued by some ministry officials when Senator Bilal Ahmed Khan, despite his nomination by the Chairman of the Senate and subsequent ratification by the Senate Committee on Commerce in September 2024, he was not notified and the matter was unnecessarily made a bouncing ball between Ministries of Finance and Law.

Senator Bilal Khan lamented that this exclusion not only violates the rules of parliamentary conduct and the sanctity of the custodians of the House but also indicates ulterior motives, given that the TDAP received substantial funds from the EDF, which could evade oversight by Parliament.

Following due deliberations, the Committee concluded that no legal justification exists for the exclusion of parliamentarians as claimed by the ministry of commerce under the SOE Act nor under a letter of law division of 2020, which have mysteriously been made applicable to the Senators and MNAs being parliamentarians but at same time not made applicable to the nomination of the federal minister to board who is also a parliamentarian. 

The Committee took strong exception to the action of officials in Commerce Ministry who without seeking legal advise from Law or Prime Minister, appointed an Advisor as TDAP board chair in 2021, without legally authorised by Prime Minister being Federal Minister incharge.

The Committee asked for strict action against officials of commerce ministry who kept parliamentarians excluded from Board on one excuse or another in last 4 years and also those who facilitated  appointment of  an Advisor as TDAP chairman without authorisation by the then Federal Minister Commerce. The officials of Ministry of Commerce failed to appreciate that the “status” of Federal Minister does not arrogate ‘rank’ of Federal Minister on anyone, be it an Advisor or SAPM. 

After detailed deliberations it was concluded that the matter be referred to the Privilege Committee of Senate and for Establishment division to be involved to conduct inquiry on delinquent officers serving in Ministry of Commerce and take action if any inefficiency and misconduct is established.

Upon reviewing the list of ex-officio positions filled through deputation from outside the Commerce and trade group within the Ministry of Commerce over the past decade, it was noted that Customs officers transitioned to Commerce Ministry in senior most grades 22, 21 and 20.  The committee showed concern on senior positions occupied by non Commerce and trade group.

The committee also examined the composition of the HR Committee of the TDAP board, observing that it improperly included representatives from the ministry of commerce when only board members can be on sub committee of board. Any others persons can be co opted as special invitees but cannot be made members. This is a violation and departure of the regulations governing the board’s structure.

Additionally, the committee received a detailed briefing on various Trade and Investment Officers (TIOs) of the Ministry of Commerce stationed abroad.

The committee was briefed by the trade and investment counselor in Nairobi. The TIO shared the demand for cheap rice.

The committee praised the collaboration that has led to the generation of tractors and motorcycles by Kenya from Pakistan, anticipating revenue benefits for the country.

Similarly, the Trade and Investment Attaché from Johannesburg, South Africa, briefed the committee on export potential from Pakistan.

The Chairperson emphasized that the furniture and pharmacuticals industry associations could play a crucial role in enhancing exports of their products.

The committee thoroughly discussed the country’s export growth and addressed the challenges faced by exporters in competitive markets. It stressed the importance of trade offices in promoting exports and emphasized the need for efficient operation of a commerce portal that provides demand of products in countries   for export items from Pakistan.

The meeting was attended by Senators Sarmad Ali, Bilal Ahmed Khan, Hamid Khan, Amir Waliuddin Chishti, Saleem Mandviwalla, Zeeshan Khanzada, and Senator Muhammad Tallal Badar. Federal Minister for Commerce Mir Jam Kamal Khan and other senior officials from related departments were also present.