Punjab has 23 federal secretaries out of 41, Senate told

ISLAMABAD: The Senate was informed Tuesday that in the pool of 41 federal secretaries, there was none from Balochistan, whereas Punjab had a lion’s share of 23 top officers.

In a written reply to a question by Senator Hafiz Hamdullah of JUI-Fazl, the minister in-charge of the Establishment Division said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had eleven federal secretaries, Sindh six, whereas AJK also had one federal secretary.

Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani warned to wrap up the Senate if ministers will continue staying away during the question hour.

Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir, later, told the House that even after issuance of formal notification by Britain (which was not yet issued) regarding its parting ways with the European Union, GSP plus concession would be available to Pakistan for two years. He revealed that the deputy high commission of Britain had conveyed about its intention of early signing of a free trade agreement with Pakistan.

Though yet to be determined, to what extent the depreciation of euro against dollar would have impact on Pakistan’s trade with the European Union. He said that Pakistan’s exports to the European Union had increased from $6.1 billion in 2013 to $7.54 billion in 2014, showing an increase of 21 per cent.

He pointed out in 2015 Pakistan’s exports to the European Union were registered at $6.73 billion and this was due to weakening of euro vis-à-vis dollar. The minister, however, noted overall increase in exports terms of euro showed an increase of 33.27 per cent.

Rabbani also deferred a calling attention notice on not finding the Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif around; though Minister of State Abid Sher Ali was present in the House. “If ministers don’t’ come, should I wrap up the Senate. That’s all I can do,” he quipped on not finding Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sheikh Aftab Ahmad expressed his ignorance about the cause of absence of the minister. “Now, if I say something, they will say, I have been harsh,” Rabbani said. Commerce minister made his way to the House after some time to apologise to the chair. “This is not the way. Where is the federal minister? Why does not he come to the House? The cabinet is answerable now to both houses of Parliament after the 18th Amendment. If he is also having another portfolio then convey it to the prime minister that he can’t run both ministries,” asserted the chairman Senate.

Abid Sher tried to explain that since the federal minister was busy with a defence delegation, he was here fully prepared to represent the ministry with regards to a calling attention notice.

Dissatisfied by the explanation given by the state minister on the delay in sharing information on how many commercial plots had been auctioned by CDA during the last 20 year, Rabbani referred the matter to the standing committee concerned and asked the department to provide information within one week and said he would not allow anyone to circumvent the Parliament.

Dr Tariq Fazal had said that the information being collected and would be shared with the House within two-three days. Notice was received on June 22 this year regarding the question.

Objecting to a written reply on PIA’s Roosevelt Hotel, New York, senators Azam Swati of PTI, PkMAP’s Usman Kakar, and Chaudhry Tanvir Khan questioned the value i.e. $363 million of the hotel mentioned in the reply and asked for reviewing it. They contended its value must not be less than $1.5 billion. They also questioned why the hotel showed loss to the tune of 3,96000 dollars in 2015, whereas in previous four years, it registered profit ($37,91000, 32,08000, 24,38000 and 37,24000 in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively).

Minister Sh. Aftab attributed the loss to overall plunge in commercial activities and added the evaluation of the hotel was carried out by US commercial auditors. He also told the House that PIA had purchased the hotel in 1999 against $36.5 million. He said steps for being taken to improve performance of the hotel side by side with overall performance of PIA.

The PML-N’s Senator Chaudhry Tanvir and Minister of State for the Capital Administration and Development Division Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry had a difference of opinions on availability of adequate facility at PIMS and other hospitals in the federal capital. The senator alleged that MIR machine was not available at PIMS, whereas, the minister insisted it was working not only in PIMS but also Poly Clinic.

To another question, Azam Swati, Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldeni, Azam Musakhail of PkMAP criticised the hundreds of vacant posts at PIMS, including those of doctors. The state minister said that the process was under way to fill all the vacant posts.

Commerce minister told the House in response to a question by PML-N’s Rahila Magsi that Pakistan’s commercial transit trade had reached $2.55 billion, whereas the volume of trade between the two countries stood at $2.28 billion in 2014-15. In reply to another query by Ahmad Hassan of PPP, Sh. Aftab informed the House that the New Islamabad International Airport would start operations from June next year, whereas the work on the project would be completed by December this year.

This claim was challenged immediately by Ahmad Hassan and Saeedul Hasan Mandokhail, who insisted the project might not be operational even by December 2017.  “I shall decorate the minister with a gold medal, if the project starts its operations by December 2017 even,” remarked Mandokhail and the minister said surely, he would get the medal.

Senator Ashok Kumar of the National Party also wondered, how would the airport start operations, when its runway had already shown depression at one or two points.