ISLAMABAD – Legislators from opposition and treasury benches in the National Assembly Monday criticised the Punjab Chief Minister for his statement regarding terrorism in the province and demanded to make apology from the people.
Ameer Muqam from PML-Q said that the Pakistan Army and other law enforcement agencies were fighting against terrorism and in such circumstances the statement of Shehbaz Sharrif has confused the people. He should make an apology, Muqam asserted.
MNA Nabeel Gabol on the point of order said that after the statement of CM Punjab, other provinces were considering themselves weak against terrorism. “PML-N is not a party of a province but from the statement of the CM it seems that PML-N is a party of Punjab”, Gabol said. He also urged the Chairman National Assembly Riaz Hussain Pirzada to allow the House to discuss the matter.
Legislator Akhunzada Chattan said that in his area, they were in war against terrorism and those who say that Punjab is a name of Pakistan. In these circumstances such statements may become a cause of defeat for us”, Chattan added. He also demanded of the CM Punjab to make apology.
However, MNA from PML-N Hamza Shehbaz Sharrif said that Punjab has been on frontline to support the terror-hit areas and the Punjab government has provided medical facilities to the IDPs of Swat and Malakand. He added that when the House passed a resolution against terrorism, PML-N took stand with other political parties. He also criticised the government for delaying constitutional reform package.
Replying to the point of order, Minister for Law and Justice Babar Awan said that the Constitutional Reforms Committee has done most of its job. He said that the committee is meeting regularly to finish its task at the earliest.
Later, responding to a calling attention notice, Minister of State for Finance Hina Rabbani Khar said that the government was very serious in tackling the problem of rising inflation. She acknowledged that the inflation has risen to thirteen percent but pointed out that its rate was less last month as compared to January this year.
She said that salaries of the Armed Forces personnel have been doubled and those of the government employees would be increased in the light of the report of the Pay and Pension Commission, likely to be presented to the government this month. Abdul Rashid Godil, Shagufta Sadiq and others moved the call attention notice.
Responding to another call attention notice, Minister for Sports Ejaz Hussain Jakhrani said that Executive Committee of Pakistan Hockey Federation is meeting to go into the causes behind poor performance of the National Hockey team in the recently concluded world cup hockey tournament.
The Minister said that initially the Hockey Federation has maintained that the bad performance was because of poor backup support, lack of physical fitness and injuries to some key players.
Jakhrani said that he would be meeting players tomorrow to hear from them about the causes of the debacle. Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, Nuzhat Sadiq and others moved the call attention notice.
To a point of order raised by MNA Shiekh Waqas Akram regarding corruption in a housing society, the Law Minister said that he would call a report from Chief Commissioner Islamabad about the alleged wrongdoings in National Assembly Employees Cooperative Housing Society.
Chairperson Standing Committee on Defence Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho presented the report of the committee on the Bill to provide for the establishment of the National Defence University in Islamabad.
Earlier, during the question hour, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Syed Naveed Qamar told the House that twenty-two oil and gas discoveries were made during the last two years.
He added that eighteen discoveries are under appraisal while four have been appraised having reserves of three to seven million barrels of oil and 404 billion cubic feet of gas. He said the government has granted 126 exploration licenses to different companies.
Responding to a supplementary question by leader of the opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Minister for Petroleum said the government wants to reform gas pricing mechanism to provide relief to both consumers and the gas companies.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, who is also Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said that the Committee has directed both Sui Northern Gas and Sui Southern Gas to bring down the number of slabs for consumers from the existing seven to three.
To another question Syed Naveed Qamar said that Sindh has coal reserves of 184 billion tons in Thar, Badin, Sonda-Jherik and Lakhra Coal Fields.