Islamabad, June 10, 2026: The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat met today at Parliament House, Islamabad, under the chairmanship of Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan. The meeting was attended by Senators Saleem Mandviwalla, Saadia Abbasi, and Muhammad Abdul Qadir, while Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti participated via Zoom.
The Committee initially considered the Government Bill titled “The Civil Servants (Amendment) Bill, 2026.”
Briefing the Committee, the Secretary, Establishment Division, informed members that under the existing rules, the Prime Minister and the Federal Cabinet are authorized to make several decisions relating to federal government employees, many of which are routine administrative matters. He stated that such decisions could instead be delegated to the concerned Federal Secretary or another competent authority to improve efficiency and reduce delays.
It was further informed that these decisions would continue to require concurrence from the Finance Division where necessary.
The Secretary, Establishment Division, also briefed the Committee on the procedure governing international deputation of federal government employees. During the discussion, the Committee recommended that such cases should be approved by two authorities: the concerned department and the Prime Minister. Senator Muhammad Abdul Qadir observed that referring every case to the Federal Cabinet unnecessarily prolongs the process and should be avoided. After detailed deliberations, the Committee decided to defer consideration of the Bill until the next meeting to allow incorporation of the proposed amendments.
The Committee also discussed “The Standard Time (Interpretation of References) (Amendment) Bill, 2026.” Officials informed the Committee that prior to Partition, Pakistan Standard Time was considered to be five hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), whereas the actual difference is five hours and thirty minutes. The Committee appreciated the proposed amendment, expressed concern over the prolonged delay in rectifying the discrepancy, and unanimously passed the Bill.
The Committee was further briefed on the financial structure of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). It was informed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) collects revenue generated through broadcasting rights, sponsorships, and gate receipts, of which 95 percent is distributed among the franchises while 5 percent is retained by the PCB. The Committee was also informed that expenses related to hotels, logistics, and players are borne by the franchise owners.
Senator Saadia Abbasi sought details regarding the appointment process of the PCB Chairman and the Board of Governors. Officials informed the Committee that the Board currently consists of eleven members, from among whom the Chairman is elected through voting. It was further disclosed that there is presently no female member on the Board.
The Committee recommended that at least one female member be included on the PCB Board and that all provinces, including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, should be represented in the Board’s composition.
The Committee was also informed that the PCB plans to renovate the Karachi Stadium at an estimated cost of Rs. 4.8 billion, with tenders expected to be opened in the near future. Responding to a query from the Chairman Committee, officials stated that the construction cost of a modern international-standard stadium currently ranges between Rs. 12 billion and Rs. 14 billion.
