News Detail
Event Title: Senator Rana Mahmood Ul Hassan, Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat presiding over a meeting of the committee at Parliament House Islamabad
Event Date: 2025-09-19
The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat met today under the chairmanship of Senator Rana Mahmood ul Hassan at the Parliament House. The meeting was attended by Senators Saadia Abbasi, Mohammad Abdul Qadir, and Aimal Wali Khan. Senior officers from relevant ministries and departments were also present.
The Committee was briefed on the Government Bill titled “The National School of Public Policy (Amendment) Bill, 2025.” The proposed amendment authorizes the Prime Minister to nominate Board Members instead of the Federal Cabinet The Secretary Establishment Division explained that it was not feasible for the Cabinet to consider the appointment of hundreds of officers and board members, as this diverted attention from its core responsibilities. After detailed deliberation, the Committee unanimously passed the Bill as introduced in the Senate.
The issue of Protection of Rights of Regularized Civil Servants, referred by the Honorable Chairman Senate, also came under discussion. The Committee was informed that a Bill on the subject has already been tabled in the National Assembly. It was further briefed that the Prime Minister had taken personal notice of the matter and directed the concerned ministries and departments to furnish reports, along with the financial implications of granting statutory protection to contractual and daily-wage employees. The Chairman of the Committee expressed full solidarity with the affected employees and their families, and directed that the matter be revisited after its disposal in the National Assembly.
The Managing Director, Federal Employees Benevolent & Group Insurance Funds (FEB&GIF), apprised the Committee of the functions and operations of the organization. He informed that FEB&GIF is an autonomous body operating on a self-help basis through member contributions. Established under the Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance Act, 1969, the Fund collects approximately Rs. 8 billion annually, with most investments in government treasury bills. The Committee recommended that two Senators and two MNAs be included in the Board of FEB&GIF. Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir suggested that the Fund should also consider investing in construction and development projects of the government.
The Committee was further briefed on the functioning of the Pakistan Printing Corporation (PCP). The Managing Director, PCP, informed that upon assuming charge, he had cleared a significant backlog but noted that the Government of Pakistan had not awarded printing work to PCP for an extended period due to previous delays. PCP currently employs 365 staff members (70% productive and 30% non-productive) and operates offices in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. He emphasized the urgent need for new staff recruitment, modern machinery, and reforms in Human Resource Management. The Committee recommended that all government ministries and departments curtail the practice of outsourcing printing work to private companies and instead assign such tasks to PCP. It further directed that all necessary efforts should be made to ensure immediate release of pending salaries of PCP employees in Karachi.