Army courts' establishment is need of time: COAS

In pursuance of government' directives to allnorganization to cut expenditures in order to reduce burden on the national exchequer, the Chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Zafar Hijazi has initiated steps to curtail perks of senior officers to ensure optimum utilization of financial and human resources.

According to a statement issued by SECP here on Friday the cost cutting measures include significant reduction in fuel, residential telephone, mobile phone entitlement as well as entertainment budgets of Chairman SECP, Commissioners, Executive Directors and Directors of the SECP.

It has been decided that the SECP officers, including Executive Directors and Directors would only be entitled to travel in economy class instead of economy plus. In addition, the Commission

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif on Friday has said that the war against terror calls for extraordinary decisions and that establishment of army courts is not Pakistan Army's wish but it is the need of time. He expressed these views in the All Parties Conference (APC) in Islamabad. While addressing the participants he said that Pakistan has reached a sensitive stage in the war against terrorism. The COAS said that as a nation they could not even think of losing the war against terrorism and that Pakistan would win this war at any cost. General Sharif also said that the future of the nation would depend on the decisions they take in the present. Decisions made in the present would determine the destination of the nation, he added. The COAS urged the political leadership of the country to continue showing solidarity towards the cause. He also urged the participants to pay attention on the implementation of the decisions taken by all the members collectively. The COAS further said that after the situation gets normal, they would return to the usual system of the country. has further tightened the delegation of financial powers of officers. As per new directions, all budgetary expense, starting from one million rupee and above would only be approved by the Commission.

The overall policies relating to payroll structure, increment, bonuses and terminal benefits of employees are also being rationalized. Meanwhile, for better utilization of human resource, the Human Resources Department has start- ed work load assessment of all employees. Consequently, the employees will be rewarded and their services would be better utilized in areas where they excel. Besides, the purpose is that the money spent should give proper results.