ISLAMABAD, (SANA): The former chief ministers of Khayber Pakhtoonkhawa Amir Haider Khan Hoti and Akram Khan Durrani staged severe protest against allocation of insufficient funds for the mega project of Chashma Lift Canal project in the federal budget. The federal government has allocated only 50 million rupees for the project; meanwhile the cost of the project is 61 billion rupees. They said that to take back the economic package from FATA and operation-hit people is excess with the masses. They said what message is being given to masses, adding that the government should not commit excess with people as the people of KPK and FATA are fighting war against lawlessness. The National Assembly resumed its session in Islamabad Sunday with Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq in the chair. At the outset of the proceedings, the House offered Fateha for the departed souls of those martyred in terrorists’ attacks in Balochistan on Saturday. Speaking on a point of order, Asiya Nasir condemned the terrorist attack and firing incident in Balochistan and demanded that there is a dire need to take the Balochistan issue seriously. She said that the formulation of a policy for the province is imperative to resolve the issue. Later, the House resumed debate on the budgetary proposals for the next financial year. Former CM KPK Akram Khan Durrani of JUI-F lauded different steps taken by the government for the betterment of the masses. He said it is a good omen that government has abolished the secret funds but he demanded that the secret funds of Political Agents of the tribal areas must also be abolished because a huge amount is being used in this regard and reduces the development activities in the area. He said also proposed that the salaries of the government employees be further increased five to ten percent. He said that the 60 percent gas of the country be explored from Southern districts of KPK, adding that the WAPDA while becoming 5th province of the country is trying to sabotage the agreement between federal and KPK governments on the matter of distribution of profit of electricity. He said that progress is not possible without peace, adding that the equal distribution of natural resources is necessary. Former CM KPK Amir Haider Khan Hoti of ANP appreciated the steps taken by the government including formation National Party government in Balochistan and PTI in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. He said decision to end circular debts in sixty days is also worth admiration but he said there is dire need to end the factors that lead to circular debts. He said the factor including tariff different, line losses, power theft and recovery of the bills need immediate attention to control the circular debts otherwise these debts will continue to rebuild in future and the issue will remain unresolved. He said unfortunately there is no infrastructure in KPK for using the water under 1991 water accord. He said Chashma Lift Canal project was prepared for this purpose with the cost of 61 billion rupees. He said the PML-N government has allocated only 50 million rupees for this project. He said that three lack acre barren lands could be made cultivable through this project. He said that the government is ignoring the Initiating the debate, Maulana Muhammad Sherani said that the tax net and rate have been increased in the budget for the financial year 2013-14 that will directly affect the consumers. He said the action will have more impact on the consumers than the investors. He proposed that the budget must be formulated on Islamic principles avoiding loans with interest and depending on more domestic resources. Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain said that the government is committed to improve the economy of the country and uplift living standard of the masses. He said in the budget proposals the government has taken some difficult steps to improve the economic condition by cutting different funds of ministries and PM House. He said the expenditures of the ministries have been reduced by thirty percent while that of Prime Minister House and Office by forty-four percent. He said the former government used forty-seven billion rupees of discretionary fund which has been abolished in the next budget. He said the amount saved will be utilized for different uplift programmes. He said the government has added an amount of twenty-five billion rupees in the Income Support Programme. He said the system of the programme will be improved to serve the recipients in a better way. He said the government has launched Housing Schemes for the low income segments besides training programmes for master degree holder youth during which they will be paid ten thousand rupees monthly. Raja Aamer Zaman of PTI welcomed the government’s initiatives like launching of Youth Uplift Schemes and said that the base of these schemes must be broadened. He said ten percent increase in the salaries of the government employees is worth appreciation but he proposed that the increase should be fifteen to twenty percent. He said that the tax has been imposed on the Hajj tour operators. He said that this tax must be abolished because it will be indirectly collected from the intending pilgrims. Akram Khan Durrani of JUI-F lauded different steps taken by the government for the betterment of the masses. He said it is a good omen that government has abolished the secret funds but he demanded that the secret funds of Political Agents of the tribal areas must also be abolished because a huge amount is being used in this regard and reduces the development activities in the area. He said also proposed that the salaries of the government employees be further increased five to ten percent. Amir Haider Khan Hoti of ANP appreciated the steps taken by the government including formation National Party government in Balochistan and PTI in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. He said decision to end circular debts in sixty days is also worth admiration but he said there is dire need to end the factors that lead to circular debts. He said the factor including tariff different, line losses, power theft and recovery of the bills need immediate attention to control the circular debts otherwise these debts will continue to rebuild in future and the issue will remain unresolved. Muhammad Ayaz Soomro of PPP described the budget as anti-poor and pro-investors. He said tax has been imposed on all the essential commodities in the next budget that will create great problems for masses. He also objected removing the name of Benazir Bhutto from the Benazir Income Support Programme. He said the name of the programme was passed under an act and by removing the name of Benazir the government has violated the constitution. Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari of PML-N said that the government has introduced number of austerity measures to support the economy. He said the steps like elimination of discretionary funds and appointment of heads of national organizations in a transparent way will help to boost the economy. Shah Gul Afridi said that the maintaining peace at the Pak-Afghan border will help exports upto one billion dollars. He demanded that the youth loan schemes should be expanded upto FATA. He expressed confidence in government efforts to meet energy demand in the country. Mussarat Zeb demanded that road infrastructure must be improved in Swat to improve communication network with rest of the country and the neighbouring countries. She said that the youth of Swat must also be included in different schemes on priority basis. Maulana Ameer Zaman highlighted problems of his constituency in Loralai and urged the government to take steps for their resolution. He said under the constitution gas provision is the right of the area from where it was explored but he deplored that there was no gas supply in the area. Similarly, he said drinking water should be supplied in the area. Mrs. Aisha said keeping in view the price-hike, ten percent increase in salaries of government servants is insufficient. She said no allocation has been made in the budget for the promotion of the teachings of Quran and Sunnah. Dr. Amjad Ali Khan said increase in GST by one percent will fan price-hike and will put a burden on the common man. He proposed that we should adopt the system of direct taxes instead of indirect taxes to achieve self-sufficiency. He said HEC programme which is financing six thousand youth for Ph.D degrees should be expanded. Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho is of the opinion that reforms should be carried out in the Federal Board of Revenue to improve the system of taxes. She said attention should be paid to improve law and order situation in the country to attract domestic and foreign investment. She said allocation should be increased for primary education to make ‘education for all’ a reality. Sardar Kamal Khan Bangulzai strongly condemned the attack on Quaid-e-Azam residency in Ziarat, bomb blast in university bus and attack on Bolan Medical Complex. He said the issues of Balochistan are very serious and invited the members to give their suggestions to resolve them. He also urged the Federal Government to fully support the provincial government for resolution of the problems of Balochistan. Shahabuddin Khan said FATA has suffered more due to war on terror. He said infrastructure has been destroyed there and people are facing acute shortage of basic facilities. He stressed the need for bringing FATA into national mainstream. He demanded that FATA should be given a status of a province or it should be included in KPK. Qaisar Ahmad Shaikh termed the budget as an appropriate in the present circumstances. He said foreign investment which was five billion dollars in 2007 has decreased to eight hundred million dollars due to worsening law and order situation in the country. He appreciated the government’s plan to settle circular debt within two months. He said power load-shedding should be carried out equally in all parts of the country. Mrs. Shahida Rehmani condemned the yesterday’s terrorism incidents in Balochistan and urged the government to conduct inquiry into these incidents and bring the culprits to book. She said Pak-Iran gas pipeline project should be implemented to overcome energy crisis in the country. Replying to a call attention notice moved by Junaid Akbar regarding unnecessary delay in the issuance of passports, Law Minister Zahid Hamid on behalf of Interior Minister informed the House that a backlog was created during the tenure of last government. He said the caretaker government appointed a vibrant police officer Zulfiqar Cheema DG of Immigration and Passports who took the issue on war footings and cleared the backlog to a greater extent. He said the issues like shortage of lamination papers, agent mafia and service delivery system have been addressed and daily eighteen to twenty thousand passports are being printed daily. He said eight hundred thousand passports have been issued during last two months. The Minister said two hundred thousand overseas passports and about five hundred thousand urgent passports have been issued. Zahid Hamid said eighty five thousand passports have also been issued to the intending pilgrims. He said that one hundred and fifty thousand passports will be issued to the applicants till the end of next month. The House will now meet again today (Monday) at 10:00 am.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 05:08:50 +0000
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