Keep impartiality in all cases, Sanjrani tells NAB chief

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani Monday said that transparency and impartiality in the accountability process should be maintained in all cases. He also called for ensuring that the alleged perception of harassment of traders and investors under the guise of accountability process should be dispelled.

Sanjrani observed this in a meeting with Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (Retd) Javed Iqbal, who called on him here at the Parliament House. The Chairman presented NAB's annual report for 2020 to the Chairman Senate.

Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal while briefing the Chairman Upper House about the ongoing accountability process said that steps are being taken to make the accountability process more transparent and effective so that an impartial system of accountability can be established.

The Chairman Senate said that eradication of corruption would provide better environment to the business community which would boost trade and investment in the country. The Chairman NAB informed the Chairman Senate that positive suggestions from the Members of Parliament, concerned stakeholders and the business community would be welcomed. “No one should be afraid of the accountability process as the agenda of NAB is only to provide a conducive and corruption-free environment for the development and prosperity of Pakistan,” he maintained.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination was also held under the Chairmanship of Dr. Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, here at the Parliament House. While further considering the Federal Medical Teaching Institutes Bill, 2021, majority of the members of the Committee opposed the bill, with five members voting against the bill and two in favour. The Committee also voted for the bill on “the National Institute of Health (Re-organization) Act, 2021 which was passed unanimously.

Discussing the Federal Medical Teaching Institutes Bill, 2021 majority of the Members of the Committee expressed their reservations regarding reorganization of the Federal Medical Teaching Institutes and Teaching Hospitals. Senator Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar objected that definitions in the bill are non-specific and open-ended with no specific criteria to define terms like ‘Consultant’, ‘Board of Governors’ and ‘Principal Accounting Officer’.

Senator Rubina Khalid said that for the position of Hospital Director a medical degree must be made mandatory. She added that appointing all members of the Board of Governor from the private sector for key positions was not acceptable. Senator Prof Dr Mehr Taj Roghani said that the bill may be passed as it is.

Some Members stressed that apart from MTI, other options could have been explored as well and they showed their concern that if the bill is passed it may cause an increase in medical charges for the poor and a parallel system within hospitals.

The meeting was attended by Dr Faisal Sultan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Health, Senator Fawzia Arshad, Dr Zarqa Suharwardy Taimur, Sana Jamali, Rubina Khalid, Jam Mehtab Hussain Dahar, Senator DrMehr Taj Roghani, Hafiz Abdul Karim, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafeeq Tareen and senior officers from the Ministry of Health.