Senate panel concerned over constitution of Policy Board

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives on Wednesday expressed serious concerns over the constitution of the Policy Board, saying that it was established on an arbitrary basis.

Senator Quratulain Marri chaired the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives on Wednesday at the Parliament House.

The Senate committee was briefed on the current status of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway M-6. Officials from the Ministry of Communications stated that the project was taken up in the joint working group and that the Chinese showed interest in the project.

It will be discussed in the upcoming JCC meeting expected in the next few months. The government aims to include the project in the CPEC, the officials added. Senator Quratulain Marri expressed serious reservations about the Policy Board’s constitution under the ministry, terming the board a “High-Powered Board”. She said that it was established on an arbitrary basis.

The Senate committee’s chairperson reiterated that there should be a proper selection criterion for nominations at this board.

The secretary for the Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives informed that the project was established to guide the ministry on important issues and that the nominations were made from various sections of society.

The committee recommended that the ministry may make proper rules/SOPs for the conduct and governance of the Policy Board.