NA body asks ECP to lift ban on recruitments, ongoing uplift schemes

ISLAMABAD, Apr 26 (APP):The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs Thursday expressed concern over imposition of ban on recruitment and development schemes and recommended that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should lift the ban.
The Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs met here on Thursday under the Chairpersonship of MNA Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali Khan Kharal.
In the meeting, Additional Secretary, ECP, briefed the Committee regarding the imposition of ban on recruitment and development schemes. He informed that under Article 218 (3) and 220 of the Constitution, ECP imposed ban on recruitment and development schemes to prevent pre poll rigging in upcoming general election.
He said that all kind of recruitment except the recruitments which are made by the Federal and Provincial Public Service Commissions, had been banned by ECP.
The representatives from all the provinces were of the view that notification regarding ban on recruitments and development schemes should be issued with the consultation of federal and provincial governments. They also showed apprehension on imposition of ban on recruitments and ongoing development schemes. The committee recommended that already issued notification should be revised in public interest.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs briefed the committee regarding the comprehensive report and implementation status of the previous recommendations of the committee.
He informed that the ministry had also sent letters to the concerned department for implementation on the directions of the committee.
The Committee considered “The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2017” moved by Naeema Kishwer Khan, MNA.
After discussion, the committee recommended that the amendment proposed in Section 41 may be passed by the National Assembly, however, on the other proposed amendment in Section 211, was withdrawn by the mover.
The MNAs Malik Ihtebar Khan, Sardar Ashiq Hussain Gopang, Nadeem Abbas Rabaira, Ch. Salman Haneef Khan, Arifa Khalid Parvez, Belum Hasnain, Dr. Shazia Sobia, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak and Naeema Kishwer Khan attended the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and representatives from Government of Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.