Senate panel laments CCI’s official reply during meeting

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution lamented the Council of Common Interest (CCI) officials for submitting a reply stating that the CCI, being a constitutional forum, is answerable to Parliament, whose directions in a joint sitting are binding on the Council, but not to its special or functional committees.

The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution held its meeting with the chair of its Chairperson Senator Dr. Zarqa Suharwardhy Taimur here at Parliament House on Monday. Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro asserted that under Article 153 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the CCI is answerable to Parliament, and committees are an extension of the House. He further added that the CCI is responsible for governing and supervising institutions such as PMDC, Railways, and Wapda, which fall under the Federal Legislative List Part II after the 18th Amendment. Unfortunately, the core responsibilities of the CCI are being controlled and managed by the Federal Cabinet,” he said.

The Senate Functional Committee on Devolution directed the CCI to submit annual reports of previous years and asserted that the CCI should regain its legal position and fulfil the responsibilities entrusted by the Constitution of Pakistan. Furthermore, the Senate Committee was briefed on the role and function of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

Chairperson Dr. Zarqa stated that food and agriculture are devolved subjects and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research should be devolved as per the 18th Amendment. She also highlighted that despite having a separate ministry, the country’s indigenous fruit has been depleted, and the ministry has failed to undertake any steps to protect local production.

Instead, foreign tree species are being planted, which are not suitable for the national ecosystem and are causing health issues, such as allergies, in Islamabad. The committee decided to have a detailed briefing on the seventeen attached departments of the ministry.

The meeting was attended by Senator Poonjo Bheel, Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, Senator Fawzia Arshad, Additional Secretary for Ministry of National Food Security and Research Ayesha Khalid and other senior officials of ministry and CCI were also in attendance.