Efforts on to unban new domestic gas connections: Khaqan

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties in National Assembly protested for four minutes against the deputy speaker, who chaired the session, for not allowing them to speak on a motion regarding non-utilisation of Railways land.

During the session, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi informed the National Assembly that efforts were being made to lift ban on new domestic gas connections.

Winding up debate on the motion that the government should take steps to do end gas loadshedding in the country, the minister said ban was imposed on domestic gas connections in 2011.

The government, he said, had also accelerated the efforts of domestic exploration of oil and gas to meet energy shortage in the country.

The minister said the country’s oil production had crossed 100,000 barrels per day for the first time. The import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) was a big achievement of the incumbent government to meet the ever-increasing energy demand, he added.

Regarding Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline, Khaqan said the government had made efforts to move forward on the project but progress was not possible till lifting of complete international sanctions on Iran.

He said work on the TAPI project was started in December last year and would hopefully be completed in four years.Minister of State for Information Maryam Aurangzeb said the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) was having strict vigilance on television drama content to promote a healthy and constructive society.

Speaking on a Calling Attention Notice, the minister said the entertainment channels enjoyed freedom of expression but they should observe the code of conduct to ensure that no play against traditions and ethics were telecast.

Members of the National Assembly Tahira Aurangzeb, Seema Mohiuddin, Jameeli Begum, Tahira Bokhari and Asiya Naz Tanoli had drawn the attention of the minister towards three TV dramas promoting ratio of divorce in the country.

Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the House that action would be taken against BOL channel for levelling baseless allegations against JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman.

He was replying to a calling attention notice raised by Naeema Kishwar and others regarding baseless allegation levelled by Amir Liaquat, the host of a programme on BOL TV channel.Tariq said television channels had been given warnings fined and banned for certain duration on airing objectionable material about the political leadership of the country.

The minister said it was unfortunate that baseless allegations were levelled against political parties and leadership in talk-shows, adding that sub judice matters were also being discussed in these shows.

The MNAs called for setting up a parliamentary committee to ensure transparency in the promotion of bureaucrats. They were of the views that the parliamentary committee could bring reforms in the existing promotion system.

Speaking on a point of order, PPP leader Naveed Qamar said the issue was also raised in the last session.Musarrat Zeb said the issue related to promotion of bureaucrats could not be resolved till the formation of the panel.

Sher Akhbar Khan criticised bureaucracy for not cooperating with elected representatives.The House rejected ‘The Law Reforms (Amendment) Bill 2015’ moved by PPP Ayaz Soomro, as Law Minister Zahid Hamid said the amendment could only be brought through a constitutional amendment.

The assembly referred The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues (Amendment) Bill 2016 to Standing Committee on National Health Services for further deliberations. The bill was moved by Kishwar Zehra.

Zahid Hamid, who is also minister for climate change, tabled ‘The Pakistan Climate Change Bill 2016’, saying it would help tackle the adverse effects of climate change.

Minister for States and Frontier Regions Lt-Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch informed the National Assembly that some 6,000 tents had been provided to the temporarily displaced persons (TDPs) of tribal areas.