Govt ready to establish Pakistan Coast Guards Foundation

Aftab Ahmed

PTI government has agreed to establish Pakistan Coast Guards Foundation to launch a host of welfare schemes in the best interest of the force.

Pakistan Coast Guards Foundation will spend donations and grants it receives from the government and notables on the welfare schemes.

The government will make the final decision following the legal opinion of the Law Ministry.

It will establish Foundation under the Charitable Endowments Act 1890 for the welfare of Pakistan Coast Guards troops. The Foundation would administer” and regulate following welfare schemes:

Pakistan Coast Guards Insurance & Welfare Fund (PCG I&WF).
Pakistan Coast Ġuards Employees Medical Scheme (PCG EMS)
Pakistan Coast Guards Employees Children Education Scheme (PCG ECES)

Pakistan Coast Guards Employees Welfare Housing Scheme (PCG EWHS)

Pakistan Coast Guards Life Welfare Society (PCG LWS) (for Handicapped Children)

Pakistan Coast Guards Welfare Commercial Projects (PCG WCP)

Pakistan Coast Guards Security Agency’ (PCG SA)

Interior Division had taken up the matter with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) and the Ministry of Finance.

The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination(NHSR&C), asked to seek the in-principle approval of the Federal Cabinet for the establishment of the Pakistan Coast Guards Foundation under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890.

Whereas, the Ministry of Finance informed that they had no objection to the establishment of the Pakistan Coast Guards Foundation as a “Trust”。

Cabinet returns summary

Interior Ministry had moved a summary was moved for approval of the Cabinet on 21^st January 2020 and 19th February 2020. Cabinet Division returned the summary with certain observations.

In line with the observations of the Cabinet Division the Interior ministry had taken up the matter with the Law and Justice Division and Headquarters Pakistan Coast Guards. Law and Justice Division informed that they had no mandate to comment on the formation of the Foundation unless there was a specific legal query on which consultation was sought from that Division.

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Meanwhile, headquarters Pakistan Coast Guards informed that it would not utilize any government land for the purpose and there would be no financial implications for the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of National Health Services, or any other government institutions or even on Pakistan Coast Guards annual budget.

Donations for Pakistan Coastal Guards Foundation

However, with the passage of time property donated and provided by the investors would be utilized. The funds of the Foundation would be auditable by the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan as covered in para-11 of draft Rules. The activities of the Foundation would be funded from the following sources:

Initially, an amount of Rs.500,000/- will be provided from PCG’s own fund after approval of the Competent Authority i.e. Director General Pakistan Coast Guards.
Monthly subscription of all ranks in case of Pakistan Coast Guards Insurance and Welfare Fund (PCG I&WF) and Pakistan Coast.

Guards Employees Medical Scheme (PCG EMS).

Moreover, the contribution from the employees will be purely on a voluntary basis.

There will be down payment/installments by members of Pakistan Coast Guards Employees: Welfare Housing Scheme (PCG EWHS).

Furthermore, it will receive Miscellaneous welfare grants government issued to the Headquarters, if any, and donations it received from, the notables for the welfare of Pakistan Coast Guards troops.

Profit earned out of Welfare Projects as specified at para 1 of the Summary.

CCLC refuses to approve summary

On 25th February 2021, the Interior ministry had again moved a for approval of the Cabinet. The Cabinet Division returned the summary and advised the Ministry of Interior to place the instant case before the Cabinet Committee for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC).

The CCLC in its meeting held on March 31, 2021, decided that proposal does not fall under the purview of CCLC.

Foregoing in view, it further sought approval of the Cabinet under Section-3 and Section. 3-A of Charitable Endowment Act, 1890 for the establishment of Pakistan Coast Guards Foundation as a trust, in the best-interest-of-the-force and-its-serving, retired and-martyred-troops.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet further directed to resubmit the instant summary in light of the report of the Minister for Law and Justice to establish the Pakistan Coastal Guards Foundation.