Minister tells NA panel parliament has 1,000 employees for 96 senators

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazir Tarar on Friday told the Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Parliamentary Affairs that parliament has financial autonomy and there is no shortage of staff in parliament as employees were recruited for political purposes and there were 1,000 employees for 96 senators.

The committee meeting was held under its Chairman Rana Iradat Sharif Khan at the Parliament House on Friday.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs told the committee that Pakistan’s members of parliament are lowest paid in terms of work, which is up to Rs170,000 while parliamentarians pay their own electricity and gas bills. It was revealed that more than 20 MNAs do not have official residences. “The work on the new Parliament Lodges is 80 percent complete,” he told the committee.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazir Tarar told the committee that unfortunately, instead of legislation, roads, sewers and electricity are the priorities of parliamentarians.

He said that after the 18th Amendment, their power to legislate was limited. The Islamic Ideology Council is consulted on any law related to religion.

The minister told the committees that parliamentary secretaries are appointed by the prime minister, and the Senate does not have a parliamentary secretary and for that reason, many problems are being faced.

He said that 36,000 complaints were received in the Prime Minister’s Complaint Cell last year, out of which more than 22,000 complaints were resolved while about 1,100 public complaints are received every month. He further said that the Election Commission is an independent institution and its legal affairs are with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

In the meeting, the Federal Secretary Parliamentary Affairs, while giving a briefing, said that the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs was playing the role of a bridge of parliament on legislation as summaries related to legislation in any government institution or constitutional institution are also sent from the ministry.

The briefing was informed that Rs266 million had been earmarked for the parliamentary secretaries. In a bid to further increase their efficiency for effective disposal of parliamentary business, the committee recommended the ministry for initiation of legislation to codify the role, responsibilities, salaries, perks and privileges of the parliamentary secretaries.

The secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, provided a comprehensive briefing on the working of the ministry.

She said the ministry plays an important role in establishing a liaison between the ministries/divisions and parliament, which is essential for coordination in both official and non-official business.

The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs informed the committee that the Ministry is in the process of finalising its Parliamentary Outreach Policy.