NRB may have outlived its utility
October 11, 2006
ISLAMABAD: Daniyal Aziz is a unique example amongst the 'civilian rulers', beating all cabinet members and matching the prime minister, to have a serving brigadier included in his personal staff, but despite his exclusivity the organisation he is heading has become a lost cause.
Although Daniyal Aziz insists the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) continues to make massive contributions, many, within it and outside, admit that the government has lost interest in the organisation and in its what a source called "half-baked recipes" to reform the country.
Daniyal Aziz, who is not a regular cabinet member but only given the status of a federal minister, has one serving brigadier -- Ahmed Nawaz Zafar -- as his 'chief of staff'. Zafar is in addition to his other regular staff that under the law is allowed to a federal minister.
A federal minister is allowed only a private secretary in BS-17 or above. Though some federal ministers have attached with them some senior officials too in their personal staff, the NRB chairman is conspicuous to have a serving brigadier attached with him.
Here he matches Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, whose senior most military officer included in his personal staff is a serving brigadier -- the military secretary. In a way, Daniyal also matches President General Pervez Musharraf, who too has a COS though the top man's COS is a retired lieutenant-general. Lieutenant-General (r) Hamid Javed is Musharraf's COS.
Contrary to his distinctiveness, the Daniyal Aziz-led NRB's romance with the military rulers has simply become history. The charm and glamour it used to have during the days of former chairman Lieutenant-General (r) Tanvir Naqvi is also lost. Naqvi, who is held responsible by critics for constitutional and structural distortions made by the military regime, is praised by the government, particularly the president, for conceptualising devolution of power plan and the Police Order 2002. The president, even in his book, referred to the local government system (also termed as silent revolution) and the police reforms as his major achievements.
Sources said after Naqvi's departure, very little of the NRB's work has been appreciated or implemented by the government. However, NRB officials claim that they had done a lot of work in different areas. These sources also say that one of the major works done during last few years was to address the teething problems, including legal and administrative set-up of the devolution plan and police reforms.
It is said the NRB has also prepared its proposals concerning devolution of power from centre and provinces besides working on civil service reforms but the government is not interested in such recommendations.
The recent setting up of Dr. Ishrat Hussain-led National Commission on Government Reforms (NCGR) is also considered a "daylight robbery" on NRB's jurisdiction. Major part of the work that the NRB was supposed to do, it is said, has been entrusted to the NCGR.
However Daniyal Aziz, while talking to this correspondent, dispelled the impression that the NRB has lost its importance. He said there is "absolutely" every reason for the NRB to continue. About the overlapping role of NRB and NCGR, he said, the bureau is still taking up a number of issues that are not within the purview of Dr. Ishrat Hussain-led commission.
He disclosed that the bureau and the commission are in close coordination and have very good working relationship. "We have also been undertaking joint visits", he said.
He alleged that some 'negative elements' are trying to undermine the role of the NRB. About its performance during last few years, he said, after the departure of former chairman Naqvi the NRB had placed almost 50 reform cases before the cabinet. When asked to explain, he said, they are so many to remember. Aziz, who was talking to 'The News' Monday afternoon, volunteered that he would dig out details of NRB cases taken up by the cabinet Tuesday and inform this correspondent. (However it was not done.)
There are, however, some positive reports of Aziz's contribution in making the government-owned Devolution Trust for Community Development (DTCD) an effective body, whose assigned job is community mobilisation of 6,022 union councils all over the country. It is supposed to mobilise and train government functionaries to meet the expectations promised by the devolution plan.
The DTCD, it is said, has also got an efficient chief executive -- M Yousaf -- a District Management Group officer -- who has reportedly succeeded in showing some foreign advisers their limits and making the NGO serve the greater public interest. According to a 2004 news report, just one foreign adviser was getting US $20,000 per month out of trust's funding. It was said at that time that only three-year tax-free salary of technical adviser would make half of the UNDP's grant for the country's community empowerment through the DTCD.
Although Daniyal Aziz insists the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) continues to make massive contributions, many, within it and outside, admit that the government has lost interest in the organisation and in its what a source called "half-baked recipes" to reform the country.
Daniyal Aziz, who is not a regular cabinet member but only given the status of a federal minister, has one serving brigadier -- Ahmed Nawaz Zafar -- as his 'chief of staff'. Zafar is in addition to his other regular staff that under the law is allowed to a federal minister.
A federal minister is allowed only a private secretary in BS-17 or above. Though some federal ministers have attached with them some senior officials too in their personal staff, the NRB chairman is conspicuous to have a serving brigadier attached with him.
Here he matches Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, whose senior most military officer included in his personal staff is a serving brigadier -- the military secretary. In a way, Daniyal also matches President General Pervez Musharraf, who too has a COS though the top man's COS is a retired lieutenant-general. Lieutenant-General (r) Hamid Javed is Musharraf's COS.
Contrary to his distinctiveness, the Daniyal Aziz-led NRB's romance with the military rulers has simply become history. The charm and glamour it used to have during the days of former chairman Lieutenant-General (r) Tanvir Naqvi is also lost. Naqvi, who is held responsible by critics for constitutional and structural distortions made by the military regime, is praised by the government, particularly the president, for conceptualising devolution of power plan and the Police Order 2002. The president, even in his book, referred to the local government system (also termed as silent revolution) and the police reforms as his major achievements.
Sources said after Naqvi's departure, very little of the NRB's work has been appreciated or implemented by the government. However, NRB officials claim that they had done a lot of work in different areas. These sources also say that one of the major works done during last few years was to address the teething problems, including legal and administrative set-up of the devolution plan and police reforms.
It is said the NRB has also prepared its proposals concerning devolution of power from centre and provinces besides working on civil service reforms but the government is not interested in such recommendations.
The recent setting up of Dr. Ishrat Hussain-led National Commission on Government Reforms (NCGR) is also considered a "daylight robbery" on NRB's jurisdiction. Major part of the work that the NRB was supposed to do, it is said, has been entrusted to the NCGR.
However Daniyal Aziz, while talking to this correspondent, dispelled the impression that the NRB has lost its importance. He said there is "absolutely" every reason for the NRB to continue. About the overlapping role of NRB and NCGR, he said, the bureau is still taking up a number of issues that are not within the purview of Dr. Ishrat Hussain-led commission.
He disclosed that the bureau and the commission are in close coordination and have very good working relationship. "We have also been undertaking joint visits", he said.
He alleged that some 'negative elements' are trying to undermine the role of the NRB. About its performance during last few years, he said, after the departure of former chairman Naqvi the NRB had placed almost 50 reform cases before the cabinet. When asked to explain, he said, they are so many to remember. Aziz, who was talking to 'The News' Monday afternoon, volunteered that he would dig out details of NRB cases taken up by the cabinet Tuesday and inform this correspondent. (However it was not done.)
There are, however, some positive reports of Aziz's contribution in making the government-owned Devolution Trust for Community Development (DTCD) an effective body, whose assigned job is community mobilisation of 6,022 union councils all over the country. It is supposed to mobilise and train government functionaries to meet the expectations promised by the devolution plan.
The DTCD, it is said, has also got an efficient chief executive -- M Yousaf -- a District Management Group officer -- who has reportedly succeeded in showing some foreign advisers their limits and making the NGO serve the greater public interest. According to a 2004 news report, just one foreign adviser was getting US $20,000 per month out of trust's funding. It was said at that time that only three-year tax-free salary of technical adviser would make half of the UNDP's grant for the country's community empowerment through the DTCD.
