A Senate sub-committee on Monday called for halting the privatisation of power distribution companies (Discos), directing the Privatisation Commission to refer the matter to the Council of Common Interests (CCI).
The Senate Sub-Committee on Devolution, chaired by Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro, warned that proceeding without CCI approval could trigger parliamentary action.
The panel said Discos perform functions related to provincial matters and should either be transferred to the provinces or their federal administration be regularised through the required constitutional process.
Ghumro also called for the abolition of 24 federal ministries and organisations dealing with provincial and CCI subjects, saying federal expenditure should be reduced from around Rs19 trillion to Rs13 trillion.
The committee sought audited details of federal spending on devolved and CCI-related matters over the past 16 years, describing such expenditure as a serious concern amid the country’s economic difficulties.
The panel also reviewed the devolution of policing and media functions, directing the Establishment Division to submit its position on the Police Service of Pakistan and asking the Information Ministry to present a proposal on transferring media-related functions to provinces within a month.
The committee was further briefed on Thar coal-based power generation, with officials saying electricity was being supplied to the national grid while subsidy arrangements for consumers in Islamkot were under review.
The Cabinet Division informed the panel that issues raised during its August 17 and September 8 meetings had been forwarded to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for action.
