ISLAMABAD: Senator Tahir Bizinjo chaired the meeting of the Senate Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges held at the Parliament House on Tuesday.
The Senate Committee met to discuss a Privilege Motion moved by Senators Naseeb Ullah Khan Bazai and Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen against the President, National Bank of Pakistan on his non appearance before the Senate Special Committee meeting held in NBP head office Karachi .
The Special Committee meeting was held on the problems of the employees of the National Bank of Pakistan belonging to Balochistan on 12 October, 2023 at 12 noon at NBP Head Office at Karachi, however the meeting was delayed for 40 minutes due to absence of the president NBP while he was present in his office within the same building and even after passing of 40 minutes did not care to appear.
The committee members were of the view that this behaviour of a President of an organisation is thoroughly unbecoming. Senator Naseeb Ullah Bazai maintained that if such is the seriousness to deal with matters tabled on the country’s highest forum, let alone any chance public grievances would be addressed he further said.
The National Bank of Pakistan in its reply contended that the ex-CBA members had managed to be a part of the meeting called for by the Senator to address the grievance of the existing CBA members, thus the president NBP was placed in an extremely awkward position asking these uninvited members to leave the board room due to their presence prohibited by law. The brief said that the presence of these ex-CBA members in the premises of NBP was resented by the present office holders of the existing CBAs of the bank and resulted in industrial unrest at the NBP head office, therefore the president in an attempt to defuse the situation did not appear.
During the committee meeting the NBP management as well as the Finance Division rendered an unconditional apology for the distress and inconvenience caused to the Senate members and reassured them that they are held in high esteem. However the Chairman committee deferred the matter with the directions to the Finance Secretary to put appearance and brief on the matter. Similarly the committee anticipated the presence of the Finance Minister in this regard
The meeting was attended by Senator Saifullah Abro, Senator Naseeb Ullah Khan Bazai and Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen. Secretary Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, President NBP and other concerned officers were also in attendance.
