Shah Mehmood Qureshi questions performance criteria for ministries

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday questioned the performance evaluation criteria of federal ministries, a local media outlet reported.

According to sources, the foreign minister wrote a letter to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shehzad Arbab in which he expressed grave concern over giving eleventh number to the Foreign Ministry.

Qureshi said that the foreign ministry had achieved 22 out of the 26 targets and 18 out of the 24 targets as per the performance agreement during the first quarter, adding that the Foreign Ministry also carried out high-level activities during this period.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs raises questions on the method of grading. It should be clarified under which method the grading of ministries was done," the foreign minister further said in the letter.

He said no concerns were expressed about the work of the ministry. No written guidelines on 30 per cent performance review were provided. 

APP adds: Shah Mahmood Qureshi, meanwhile, asked the opposition parties to support the constitutional amendment required for the creation of South Punjab province, if they were really sincere for the cause.

The foreign minister, in a statement, criticised Pakistan People’s Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for not even responding to his letter on the subject. He said a report by the United Nations Development Programme had also endorsed his viewpoint calling South Punjab the most backward region.

Qureshi said he had re-sent his letters to Bilawal Bhutto and Shehbaz Sharif along with the UNDP’s statistics. He also asked the opposition to seriously consider the matter and support the constitutional amendment keeping in view the ground realities.

“They should not impede the creation of the South Punjab province, even if Bilawal Bhutto and Shehbaz Sharif keep in view their political interest,” Qureshi added. The foreign minister said the South Punjab province could not be created by mere criticising the government rather it would require a constitutional amendment.