Federal minister says NAB laws to be amended after consulting opposition

NOWSHERA: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Prime Minister’s Complaints Cell Chairman Ali Muhammad Khan said Wednesday the deadlock was over and talks were going with the opposition over a host of issues.

He was talking to the media after presiding over a Khuli Kutchehri (public forum) at the Deputy Commissioner office. The forum was arranged to help resolve the complaints received by the Prime Minister’s Complaints Cell and listen to the citizens who were there with other grievances.

Member National Assembly and Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Imran Khattak, Member Provincial Assembly Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel and relevant officials of the government departments were also present on the occasion.

The federal minister said the cabinet would discuss threadbare the issue of giving another extension to the military courts. “The government and the opposition are on the same page as far as the stamping out terror is concerned. The entire nation stands by the security forces and the police. The government will extend all the support needed by the security forces in this regard,” he added.

Al Muhammad Khan said the government was in contact with the opposition on a host of issues. “The government is not harassing the opposition. We are planning to introduce reforms in the National Accountability Bureau and Federal Board of Revenue,” he elaborated.

The federal minister insisted that the NAB was an independent institution. He said NAB would be reformed under the directives of the law minister. “The amendments will be introduced through the Parliament after consulting the opposition,” he went on to add.

Later, addressing a press conference, Ali Muhammad Khan said the government and opposition would back any legislation that would strengthen the institutions. The federal minister said the issue of chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committees had been resolved with the opposition. “The Law Committee has been constituted and the rest of the committees would be formed in a week,” he added.

Defending the government fiscal policies, the minister said Finance Minister Asad Umar could not rectify the matters overnight. “Asad Umar will provide relief to the people in the next budget as the one presented last time was a supplementary one,” he explained.

The federal minister said the journey towards the Naya (New) Pakistan had been launched. “ Measures have been launched to expand the tax base and the country will make progress day by day,” he assured.

Earlier, he took the complaints from the people and issued orders on the spot to have them resolved. Most of the grievances pertained to Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited, Peshawar Electric Supply Company and police.

Ali Muhammad Khan urged the elected representatives to reach out to the people and listen to their complaints and have them resolved. He hoped a time would come when the Prime Minister’s Complaints’ Cell would receive less number of complaints as issues would be fixed at the local level.