ISLAMABAD – Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Khan Swati on Thursdayapprised the Senate that the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), viathe Prime Minister’ Portal, had received around about 65 complaintsregarding alleged leakage of CSS and other examination papers.Replying to a question during the Question Hour, the minister said the FPSCwas a responsible and vigilant organization. “It fully supports andpromotes merit and therefore, guards against any untoward attempts atjeopardizing its repute. It strives for transparency and upholds merit inabsolute terms,” he added.He said it came to the notice of FPSC that a conspiracy aimed at accessingexam papers and jeopardizing credibility of the Commission was made for CSSCompetitive Examination-2019. The FPSC promptly reported the matter to theFederal Investigation Agency for investigating the complaint prior to thestart of CSS Examination-2019, he said.All perpetrators, including Provincial Officer/Assistant Director, FPSCQuetta were apprehended by the FIA, he added.He said during the course of its investigation, the FIA had not reportedany actual leakage of the question papers of CSS-2019.He said the FPSC Headquarters in addition to removing Assistant Director,FPSC Quetta from examination duty, also shuffled staff deputed at examcenters at certain other stations as a precautionary measure.Moreover, he said the matter of leakage of papers of examinations otherthan CSS was currently under investigation by the Federal InvestigationAgency. However, he said no leakage had yet been proven.Azam Swati said the issue had also been echoed on the floor of NationalAssembly which had already been referred to the standing committeeconcerned. He assured the House that he would share the findings of thecommittee with this august House.Responding to another question, he said THE Government Servants (Efficiency& Discipline) Rules, 1973 dID not contain any express provision forrecovery of embezzled money from the corrupt officers convicted ofembezzlement.However, in terms of Rule 3 of the said Rules, he said the governmentservants were liable to be proceeded under the Rules ibid on the charges ofcorruption. Further, in terms of Rule 4 (1) (a) (iv) of the Rules ibid, theauthority might impose a penalty of recovery from pay of the whole or anypart of any pecuniary loss cause to the government by negligence or breachof orders by a government servant, he said.He said there was also no bar to file a criminal suit against the accusedgovernment servant in the court of law in that regard or to refer thematter to any investigation agency.He said the embezzled money was recoverable through criminal proceedingsagainst the accused government servant by filing a reference with aninvestigation agency.To a question of Senator Seemee Ezdi, the minister said in the wake of 18thConstitutional Amendment, the subject of tourism was transferred to theprovinces.
The provinces were responsible to take steps for promotion of tourism intheir respective jurisdiction and devise tourism strategies to be followed.However, he said the present government had constituted the NationalTourism Coordination Board (NTCB), besides nine working groups, which hadrepresentatives from all the provinces and regions.He said the “Regulatory and Policy Reforms Working Group” had been mandatedto submit recommendations for formulation of an integrated tourism policyto promote tourism in the country.
