ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works on Thursday took notice of the absence of Capital Development Authority (CDA) chairman and summoned him to appear in the next meeting, issuing him a final warning that action would be taken under the rules if he fails to comply.
The committee held its meeting under the chairmanship of Senator Nasir Mehmood at the Old PIPS Hall, Parliament Lodges, to review compliance with directives issued in a previous meeting regarding the transfer and payment of salaries to employees of former Pakistan Public Works Department (Pak PWD).
The committee reviewed the compliance report from several ministries and departments that had been directed in the meeting held on expertise. But the committee pushed back, questioning whether certain PSO board members actually possess the qualifications warranted for their roles.
Kakar directed the Petroleum Division to present a comprehensive briefing listing the names, professional backgrounds, tenures and appointment criteria of all board members across companies under the division’s purview.
The committee also flagged that PPL’s board has been running on repeated extensions for an extended period, a situation lawmakers said must end, with the board finalised strictly under applicable laws rather than through administrative rollovers.
On PARCO, the panel found its legal classification as a State-Owned Enterprise still unresolved. The Petroleum Division confirmed the matter has been referred to the Attorney General’s Office for a formal legal opinion.
Lawmakers further questioned the relevance of Federal Board of Revenue chairman sitting on petroleum company boards, pressing the division on whether such ex-officio memberships serve any practical purpose. In a notable recommendation, the committee suggested that parliamentarians be appointed as board members to strengthen legislative oversight and accountability across the sector.
The session closed with the convenor directing the secretary Petroleum Division to arrange an in-camera briefing for the full Senate Standing Committee on petroleum supply security and contingency planning, amid regional reports of a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant share of Pakistan’s crude oil imports pass.
