ISLAMABAD: After apology by the Secretary Finance and MD Pakistan Security Printing Corporation (PSPC), the Senate Committee on Rules of Procedures and Privileges has relieved Finance Division from the charges of breach of privilege.
The Finance Division was charged for producing wrong information before the Committee about the retirement of said officer from the service who was alleged for meeting out improper behaviour towards Senator Saed Ghani. The committee report available with this scribe said that Senator Saed Ghani moved a privilege motion on August 20, 2013 that MD PSPC and Finance Division for misleading committee by providing incorrect information.
Earlier, the mover Senator had moved a privilege motion against PSPC MD Naiyer Muzafar Hussain, due to her irresponsible behaviour with the Senator. The committee held a meeting last year on this said motion where Ministry of Finance informed the meeting that the said officer had resigned. However, the mover later moved another privilege motion, saying that the Ministry of Finance had provided wrong information.
The report said that committee discussed the subject matter of the motion in detail and mover of the motion and officer of the Finance Division were given ample time to explain their view points. The Finance Division later came with the stance that the said officer had been relieved from service, however, was given charge as MD PSPC without salary.
The report said that committee after holding extensive discussions in several meetings came to the conclusion that privilege of the member as well as of the committee was breached. However, the officer concerned (MD PSPC) had apologized for her irresponsible behaviour with the Senator and Secretary Finance had also apologized for providing incorrect information to the committee and the mover did not press on his motion. “Therefore both the Finance Division and officer concerned were supposed to be relieved from the charges of committing the breach of privilege of the Senator as well as the committee and no action is required to be taken on this matter,” the report added.
It is pertinent to mention here that Senate and Senators have certain privileges under which any denial of provision of information or provision of incorrect information stands as breach of the privilege. Once breach is confirmed either the House or member with the consent of concerned committee can propose disciplinary action against the accused.
