'Rules of Business' amended: Minister, not secretary, now administrative head

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, while making amendment in the Rules of Business, has declared the minister as administrative head of the department concerned instead of the secretary The CM has given the order according to the spirit of 18th Constitutional Amendment, which brings change in the centuries old system and the authority of making decision and executive authority will be transferred to public representatives.
Addressing a special meeting at his office regarding amendment and formation of KP Rules of Business, the CM said that for the last 30 years they were fighting that change could be brought till the transfer of executive authority from bureaucracy to public representatives.
He said the purpose of transferring executive authority to the minister was to make him answerable as when the minister would have power and responsibility then he would also be responsible for all matters of his department. He said now instead of secretary, the minister concerned would be appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and beside answerable, he would also be accountable.
The CM said the transfer of authority and responsibility from bureaucracy to ministers would bring real change and any minister who would not fulfil his responsibility and committing wrongs would be answerable and accountable. The special meeting was attended by Provincial Ministers including Yusuf Ayub Khan, Israrullah Khan Gandapore, Inayatullah Khan; MPA Khaleeq-ur-Rehman, Chief Secretary Mohammad Shehzad Arbab, Secretary Establishment Sikandar Qayyum and other administrative officers.
During the meeting some government officers expressed some reservations on the transfer of executive authority from the secretary to the minister, but Provincial Minister Yusuf Ayub Khan did not agreed with the bureaucracy and said the transfer of executive authority to public representatives was according to the true spirit to 18th Constitutional Amendment.
On this occasion, Provincial Minister for Law Israrullah Khan Gandapore also questioned the bureaucracy over some points. During the meeting, the proposed amended draft of the Rules of Business was presented to the CM. During the briefing, the CM ordered the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of the Provincial Minister for Law for giving final shape to the draft of the Rules of Business, in which PTI would be represented by Yusuf Ayub Khan, while beside the representatives of coalition partners JI, QWP, Provincial Minister for Agriculture, Shehram Khan Tarakai will represent Awami Jamhoori Ittehad. The new committee will also be comprised the high officials of bureaucracy.
Briefing the meeting, Secretary Establishment Sikandar Qayyum said that first Rules of Business in the province were formed in 1972 and those were amended in 1985. The Rules of Business, he said were formed under the constitution and the provincial government was run through it.
The meeting was told that after 18th Constitutional Amendment the powers of provincial governors had been curtailed and now he was only constitutional head while the CM and his cabinet had been delegated all powers and authorities. The CM was told that earlier there were 39 Rules of Business and seven Schedules, and after amendments the new draft had 48 Rules of Business and seven Schedules. The CM was also told that under Article 129 the powers of CM and cabinet had been increased while the power of the Governor to dissolve the provincial cabinet and provincial assembly had also been abolished. In light of increase in the powers, the CM can now appoint advisors and special assistants.
Similarly, it was further told that several organisations including Public Service Commission and Provincial Ombudsman had also been come under the authorities of CM. The powers and role of CM and Chief Secretary had clearly written in the Draft Rules of Business.
The provincial autonomous institutes have been included in the Schedule while the details of responsibilities and duties of departments are included in Schedule 2. At the meeting, the provincial ministers said that as after local bodies' polls powers would be devolved to grassroots level public representatives, therefore there was no justification of administrative powers with Divisional Commissioners. The CM agreed with the point. Decisions regarding further amendment in the Rules of Business will be made by the newly constituted committee, which would be followed by its presentation in the provincial cabinet.