Senate body on Power discusses key issues

BY ADNAN RAFIQUE

ISLAMABAD: Senate Standing Committee on Power held here at Parliament Lodges Islamabad on Monday with Senator Saifullah Abro in chair discussed various issues public importance.

The meeting was attended by Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, Senator Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai, Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Muhammad Asad Ali Khan Junejo, Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and Senator Sana Jamali. Officials of the ministry of power and k-electric were also in attendance.

The Senate Committee while discussing the of Point of Public Importance regarding “Provision of jobs to the candidates who qualified the recruitment test of PESCO”, raised by Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan in the Senate sitting held on 7th October, 2022, the committee was informed that the Ministry of Power Division directed all the DISCOs that the recruitment process, frozen against the posts of Assistant Director/ Junior Engr. & revenue officers (BPS-17), may be continued subject to the condition that fresh interviews be conducted for all candidates interviewed previously.

The Committee was apprised that accordingly, the interviews were conducted. The committee was informed that since theĀ  recruitment process became doubtful the ministry decided that in order to further expedite the process, the process should be outsourced (NTS) only to the extent of the written test.

However the committee was not satisfied with the answers of the official, and kept the matter pending, it was also recommended the process of recruitment and joining of the SDOs/AMs must also remain pending till the committee obtains clarity on the matter. The committee also sought the agreement, the listed and short listed candidates and the transparency report.

While discussing the consideration of Public Petition No. PP-4964 regarding “Regularization of the Employees recruited in FESCO as LS-I & SSO-I through advertisement in 2015-2016”, referred by Honourable Chairman Senate, the committee was apprised that the ministry of Power Division has directed that no employee working on contingent/ daily wages / contractual basis etc in any DISCO may be regularised. Due to this instant ban on the regulation, LS-I /SSO-I and other staff appointed since 2015-16 fulfilling criteria, could not be regularised.