ISLAMABAD:
The government has put the second phase of rightsizing of the federal government on hold in a bid to address the observations raised by cabinet members.
The Cabinet Committee on Rightsizing had submitted recommendations relating to the second phase of rightsizing of the federal government. However, the cabinet members in a recent meeting made several observations about the plan.
They observed that the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) needed to be further strengthened and noted that surplus employees resulting from the winding-up process should be efficiently reassigned, preferably within the same ministry.
The function of quality standardisation was becoming increasingly important and, therefore, required clear ownership and reinforcement. The role of such authorities should be further enhanced, they said.
The purpose of rightsizing is not only to reduce the financial burden but also to enhance efficiency. As a principle, the ministries concerned should be consulted while finalising the recommendations, the cabinet members said.
They observed that Comsats, Nutech and Nust should be placed under the Ministry of National Education and Professional Training, as was done in the case of Virtual University.
They noted that regulatory bodies needed to enhance their performance and visibility. Additionally, they should revise their fee structures to reduce reliance on government funding.
The cabinet members commented that trade missions abroad tend to prioritise VIP visits rather than achieving their core objectives. They pointed out that the Directorate General Trade Organisations (DGTO) was not fulfilling its responsibilities adequately, while the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST) was performing well.
“Recommendations regarding the Pakistan Council for Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) need to be reviewed,” they said, adding that the National Institute of Electronics was performing well and should be retained, and if necessary, merged with the PCSIR.
Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) has just begun its operations and deserves an opportunity to prove its effectiveness. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) should be retained and its performance improved. In the past, the attached departments were not governed efficiently.
The precedent set in the case of PWD should be followed in cases where entities needed to be wound up. This approach should also be applied to the Department of Plant Protection, the cabinet members observed, adding that a timeline should be established for the outsourcing of Chamba House and other similar initiatives, with proper implementation of timelines.
They recommended that Expo Centres and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) should be considered for privatisation, as the Export Development Fund and trade offices were performing similar functions.
Expo Centres are currently being used solely for trade with Russia, Central Asia and other regions. Therefore, a state-of-the-art Expo Centre in Islamabad is urgently needed.
Trade missions are doing a commendable job, especially the mission in China. Local trade counselors, who are fluent in regional languages, should be recruited, especially in Russia and Central Asian states.
Following detailed deliberations, the cabinet directed the committee on rightsizing to further refine the proposals in light of the observations made by the members of the cabinet and resubmit the case for consideration at the earliest.