ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Friday informed the Senate that no former federal minister, minister of state, special assistant or advisor to the prime minister has taken official vehicle with them rather.
All such vehicles have to be handed over to the Cabinet Division within a week of the expiry of the respective government’s tenure.
Replying to various supplementary questions during the Question Hour, the minister said the Cabinet Division later utilised these vehicles.
He also clarified that he and other incumbent caretaker ministers have 1800cc cars. As per rule 24 of the Rules for Use of Staff Cars 1980, “Federal Ministers/Ministers of State/Advisors/Special Assistants to the Prime Minister with the status of Minister/Minister of State were entitled to use 1800cc cars to be provided by the respective Ministry”, he said.
However, Solangi said in case of non-availability of the suitable entitled car with the ministry concerned, the Cabinet Division provides the vehicles from its pool for the use of federal ministers/ministers of state, the official news agency reported.
In response to a question raised by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, the minister said presently, serving officers in BS-20 to 22 of the federal government were not entitled to have any official/personal staff at their residences.
The government would carry out an exercise to take information from the concerned departments and in case of any violation, a report would be presented before the house, he said.
He said complete details of grade-21 and 22 officers belonging to Balochistan would also be placed before the house.
Solangi also called for a comprehensive discussion on the current status of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in the next session of the Senate.
He said it would be appropriate if a detailed discussion on the current status of PIA was carried out in the presence of ministers for aviation and privatization in the next session.
Responding to a calling attention notice about PIA and any suspension of flight operation, he said both ministers would also apprise the house of the factors that led to huge losses to the airlines.
He pointed out that PIA had been grappling with multiple problems for several years. He specifically mentioned a minister of the PTI government whose irresponsible statement regarding fake pilot degrees adversely affected PIA’s repute, leading to loss of some international routes.
