NA concerned over lack of local recruitment in Gomal Zam Dam project

ISLAMABAD: A National Assembly panel on Friday expressed concern over a lack of local recruitments in the Gomal Zam Dam project by WAPDA and Irrigation Departments.

The standing committee also expressed its concern about shifting of Gomal Zam Dam office about 170 kilometres far from the dam site.

The concerns were raised in a meeting of the Standing Committee on States and Frontier Region (SAFRON) held at the Parliament House under the chairmanship of MNA Sajid Khan.

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The committee appointed a sub-committee with MNA Gul Dad Khan as the convenor to examine the issue of non-provision of jobs to residents and other issues related to the Gomal Zam Dam.

The committee directed the sub-committee to visit the site, witness the recruitment figures provided by WAPDA, and submit its report to the standing committee within 30 days.

MNAs Muhammad Jamalud Din and Saleh Muhammad will be members of the sub-committee.

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Scholarship for students from tribal areas

The panel also discussed in detail the issues of admission and scholarships for the students from former federal administrated tribal areas in medical and dental colleges.

The committee observed the absence of the president Pakistan Medical Council during the last three meetings. The committee expressed dissatisfaction with National Medical & Dental College Admission Test (NMDCAT) conducted by PMC and suggested that every province should be allowed to conduct the tests per their syllabus.

The committee emphasised that the PMC needs to implement the cabinet decision of March 2, 2017, in letter and spirit.

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In this regard, the committee directed the secretary SAFRON to hold a meeting with all the stakeholders and resolve the issue on priority and submit its report in the next meeting of the committee.

Earlier the committee unanimously approved the minutes of its previous meeting held on November 4, 2021.

The meeting was attended by Saleh Muhammad Khan, Gul Dad Khan, Gul Zafar Khan, Shaheen Naz Saifullah, Nawabzada Shah Zain Bugti, Muhammad Afzal Khokhar and Muhammad Jamal Ud Din.