ISLAMABAD: The Senate recorded “war of words” as the opposition called “militarisation” of civil institutions while the government defended the induction of serving and retired military officers in different institutions.The debate started in the upper house when Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed protested over reluctance of the Ministry of Interior to share details of serving and retired military officers working in the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) along with their pay and perks.
The JI senator Mushtaq said that the ministry had instead given the general answer that the Nadra had a total of 13,997 employees. “I have asked this as unemployment has increased according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. On one the hand, youth are not getting jobs while on the other we are hiring retired personnel of armed forces on lucrative positions.”
Responding to this issue, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Khan said the basic question was about ‘officials working on deputation’ in Nadra. “No official of armed forces including army, navy and air force is working in the Authority on deputation.” The minister said a fresh question should be submitted over the issue of rehiring of retired armed forces personnel.
The JI senator asserted that he sought details about ‘positions and perks of serving and retired officials of armed forces’ serving in NADRA. “Why don’t you admit that you have hired dozens of retired armed forces personnel and you don’t want to take their names in the house?” he questioned.
The minister said, “We are ready to give you the data…We will give you the answer, reiterating that the lawmaker should submit a fresh question for that.”
Meanwhile, Senator Raza Rabbani of Pakistan Peoples Party asked the minister to just deny or confirm that the individuals, serving or retired, from armed forces were holding at least 15 top posts in different civil institutions. He also read out a list that included director general of Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), director of Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, chairman of Pakistan International Airlines, chairman of Naya Pakistan Housing Authority, chairman of Water and Power Development Authority, director general of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and director general of Airports Security Force and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chairman besides others.
“We are not against the armed forces but we oppose the militarisation of civil authority. That is inappropriate,” he said. “We are standing with Pakistan Army as far as their constitutional role is concerned, but we are against the militarisation of civilian institutions,” he remarked.
Minister Khan chided the PPP for giving lectures on civil-military imbalance, reminding that their party chairman Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was Pakistan’s first civil martial law administrator.
Each of those 15 postings had valid reasons, the minister said, adding that they were needed in the ANF, CAA and NDMA because of their expertise in such fields.
Leader of the House Dr Shahzad Waseem lamented that the matter was being ‘twisted’ as the opposition was focusing on the military despite the fact that a specific answer had been provided. “The military belongs to Pakistan. They are citizens of this country. They are not outsiders,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government assured the upper house of parliament that it would table its first-ever National Security Policy (NSP) before the parliament after former Senate chairman Rabbani raised the issue and the opposition protested that the legislature had been kept in dark about the policy that had placed economic security at its core.
Senator Rabbani said that neither the parliament nor provinces had been taken into confidence over the recently launched NSP by the government. He said the prime minister should have shared all the important points of the policy in the National Assembly or Senate. “This policy has not been laid before the parliament till today,” he deplored. It would remain ineffective without an input from the provinces, parliament and civil society, he said.
