Senate body on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development meets

Islamabad, 8th May, 2023 (Online): Meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was held here at Parliament House on Monday with Senator Anwar ul Haq Kakar in Chair.

The Senate Committee was briefed by Chairperson Employees Old Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) regarding the role and working of the institution.

Naheed Shah Durrani, Chairperson EOBI, apprised that EOBI is a leading institution which provides social security to its citizens to enhance the quality of their lives. She informed that EOBI has received a contribution of Rs.180 Billion during the last ten years. Moreover, During the Financial year 2022-23, EOBI is expected to receive contribution revenue of Rs. 38 Billion against an approved target of Rs.33 Billion, she added.

However, despite the importance of EOBI, no attention has been given over strengthening the administrative structure and Board of EOBI, she stated.

Senator Shahadat Awan lamented that why the members of Board have not been change since 2013. In reply to that, she maintained that since the devolution, both the Punjab and Sindh Province has refused to accept EOBI as a Federal subject and that is why its members have not been replaced in all these years.

While deliberating on the current status of 18 criminal cases, Senator Shahadat Awan questioned as to whether the challan have been filed against the accused or not and as to why the inquiry has not been initiated in all these years. Chairperson EOBI commented that filing challan against the accused have been filed and the process was delayed due to indifferent attitude of FIA as filling charged or challan is prerogative of FIA not EOBI.

However, she requested the Chairman committee to invite FIA in the next meeting.

Senator Anwar ul Haq Kakar directed the EOBI to submit copies of challan and decided to take briefing from FIA on the subject matter in the next meeting.

The meeting was attended by Senator Manzoor Ahmed Kakar,State Minister for Law and Justice Senator Shahadat Awan, Senator Shaheen Khalid Butt, Senator Muhammad Asad Ali Khan Junejo, Senator Prince Ahmed Omer Ahmed Zai, Secretary for MOPHRD Zulfiqar Haider, Chairperson EOBI Naheed Shah Durrani and other senior officers of relevant departments were also in attendance.