Report on cantonment construction in Swat presented in Senate

ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Defence Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed presented an interim report of a committee on the proposed construction of a cantonment at Khawazakhela, Swat, in the Senate on Thursday.

A Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) senator had moved a call attention notice on the matter in the House weeks ago that was referred to the committee for consideration and report.

A meeting of the committee was held on January 19, which was attended by Senator Attaur Rehman, Senator Col (retd) Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qayyum, Senator Farhatullah Babar, Senator Lt Gen (retd) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi and Usman Kakar. Senator Mushahid had chaired the meeting.

The report said that the case was taken up by the meeting and it was decided after deliberations that in order to amicably resolve the issue, a sub-committee be formed under the chairmanship of Senator Tirmizi with senators Babar and Attaur Rehman as its members, who will visit the site and take measures for dispute resolution.

Due to inclement weather, the sub-committee has been asked to submit its report by March 23, 2016.Senator Muhammad Hamza presented a report on a question asked by Senator Mohsin Aziz, who wanted to know whether the PSO Board was in order and working according to the laid down procedure. It was referred to the House committee on petroleum and natural resources for deliberations and report.

Hamza had chaired the committee meeting, which recommended that the minimum qualification of the board members should be raised from graduation to masters degree and the members should be represented by all the provinces and Fata.

The additional secretary of the ministry promised to take it up with the secretary and federal government. The panel was informed the board was working as per the laid down procedure.