MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Industries and Production, Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi has said that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will delegate more powers to the ministers for resolution of issues at the level of their own ministries.
Prime Minister, in his maiden meeting of the federal cabinet, asked cabinet members to take decisions regarding their own Ministries as he has delegated the power to them. The procedure of sending summaries to the Prime Minister Secretariat via Cabinet Division must be expedited.
Abbasi, who was Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources prior to taking oath as the Prime Minister, is fully aware of federal ministers’ problems including day to day issues in their Ministries.
“If Ministers are given the power to deal with issues in their Ministries at their level, they will also be responsible for delivering,” said Jatoi adding that the Prime Minister had informed the cabinet that he will be accessible day and night to Cabinet members.
Previously, Jatoi had serious complaints against the bureaucracy including the senior most “Baboo” sitting in the Prime Minister House who, according to Jatoi, was not cooperating with him as he was from a smaller province. However, he believes that with the advent of Abbassi as Prime Minister he would get powers at par with his other Cabinet colleagues.
Prime Minister has appointed a Minister of State for Industries and Production, Sardar Arshad Khan Leghari, who was Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Water and Power, and who would assist Jatoi in official matters.
Arshad Leghari, according to Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, is ‘a nice person with good family background’. He said it is up to the Federal Minister to delegate whatever powers he wants to the Minister of State.
“I am thinking of allotting Punjab and KP based organisations/departments of Ministry of Industries and Production to Minister of State including transfers and postings of employees from grade 1 to 16 and some policy matters in consultation with me as the Federal Minister,” he continued.
According to Ghulam Murtaza Jatoi, Arshad Leghari opted to join him as a “ Baloch brother”.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi maintains that the cabinet must work both on short-term goals and long- term targets simultaneously. He has directed all Ministers to give presentations on their Ministries in the coming days and apprise him of what is happening in each ministry.
He has also directed Federal Minister’s not to seek his permission for travel abroad if funded by foreign sources; however the prime minister would like to be informed if the treasury is to foot the bill for a foreign visit which should be in line with the discharge of duties relating to their respective Ministries/Divisions. Previously, Ministers and Secretaries were required to seek permission from the Prime Minister for travel aboard.
