The Economic Affairs Division (EAD) is reportedly violating Cabinet decision that requires its approval of all agreements prior to signing with other countries, sources in Cabinet Division told Business Recorder. A recent example is that of an agreement, signed with China by the Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
China indicated that it would provide Pakistan a grant assistance of RMB 70 million for projects to be agreed by the two sides, and forwarded the draft agreement. Parep Beijing said that the Chinese side had proposed to sign the agreement during the visit of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to China on May 17-20, 2011.
The draft agreement on economic and technical co-operation was forwarded to Finance Division and Law Division for clearance and vetting. The Finance Division cleared the draft agreement, but the Law Ministry cleared the draft agreement subject to approval of the Prime Minister as well as Cabinet under Rule 16 of the Rules of Business, 1973 on May 16, 2011.
According to the Economic Affairs Division, due to paucity of time, EAD moved a summary seeking approval of the Prime Minister under Rule 16(2) of the Rules of Business, 1973 to sign the agreement during Prime Minister's visit to China on 17-20 May 2011. The Prime Minister approved the EAD's proposal for signing of the agreement and further directed that the agreement may be subsequently placed before the Cabinet for its approval. On several occasions in the past, the Prime Minister had directed the concerned Ministries to get prior approval of agreements planned to be signed with other countries.
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