Parliamentary panel gets briefing on CPEC tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel gets on May 3 a comprehensive briefing from the secretaries of the Communications Ministry, Planning, Development and Reform, Power Division and Maritime Affairs on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Meanwhile, the CoE-CPEC holds a seminar on May 2 on “can CPEC be the much-needed engine for rapid pro-poor growth in Pakistan? The role of an elite Research Centre of Excellence (CoE) in ensuring the success of this opportunity.”

Senior Policy Analyst Dr Sohail Jehangir Malik, MSc (Economics) MADE (Agriculture Development Economics), PhD (Econometrics) will speak. He is a prolific development policy analysts and scholars of international repute.

A member of the Parliamentary Committee of the National Assembly on CPEC said that they want to know the fate of the mega projects under the multibillion game-changer venture amid credible reports that the work has been extremely slowed down over the past several months.

“We will urge the concerned secretaries to expedite the progress on the CPEC projects so that the opportunity is not frittered away for any political reasons,” he said. Meantime, the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation meeting on May 7 will consider the cases of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) employees who were recently dismissed from service by the management in the wake of fake degrees.

It will hold a discussion on a point of public importance raised by Senator Behramand Khan Tangi “regarding corruption in the project of new Islamabad airport” as referred by the Senate on Nov 13, 2018.

The committee will also take into consideration a call attention notice moved by Senator Sherry Rehman regarding the violation of basic human rights and industrial relations act 2012 by imposing a ban on union activities through Essential Services Act, 1952, as referred by the Senate on March 7, 2019.

It will get a briefing by the Met department regarding early warning of weather forecast precautionary measures of expected heat wave and floods. The Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet will hold a session on May 6 to consider the matter of regularisation of contractual medical staff at Cardiac Centre and Bone Marrow Transplant Centre of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Islamabad.

It will get a briefing on planning, operating mechanism and execution strategies of by Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) mandatory for bidding and tendering to ensure quality of products. It will also be informed by Pakistan Baitul Mal on a report alleging irregularities in distribution of relief packets to flood affected residents of district Chitral.

The parliamentary penal on federal education and professional training will on May 6 get a detailed briefing from the High Education Commission (HEC). The committee will be informed about the functions of Private Education Institutions Regulatory Authority (PEIRA), Islamabad. It will also examine alleged irregularities in the recent recruitments made in various cadres by the Allama Iqbal Open University.

The Functional Committee of the Senate will be briefed on May 7 about overall performance of Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) and be given province-wise and district-wise details, including the tribal areas; its achievements and discoveries particularly regarding mineral deposits; and regular, contract, ad hoc and on deputation basis with vacant posts.